Fallout
by punkydiva17
Summary: Sequel to Sole Survivor. Serena Lords and her friends survived the Staten Island Slasher, but they're now left to pick up the pieces.
1. Chapter 1

Just over one month ago, Serena Lords barely escaped the Staten Island Slasher with her life.

He had escaped prison just to finish what he had started. Moving from Staten Island to Roselle Park, New Jersey hadn't helped. The media had tracked her down and practically led him to her doorstep. He had blown up her cottage, killing four police officers and wounding others. Serena had been injured in the blast. For as long as she lived, she knew that she would never forget the sight of the overturned and burning cars in what had once been her driveway.

The Staten Island Slasher had tried to kill Serena's friends. He had knocked out and tied up Wade Barrett, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns before setting the cottage ablaze. The Roselle Park Fire Department was able to rescue them before they succumbed to smoke inhalation. Dean Ambrose had been stabbed trying to get Serena to the hospital. He had chased her through the woods. There was a struggle, and Serena killed him. For the second time, she had survived his onslaught.

It was a balmy Monday night in Denver, Colorado. _Raw _was emanating from the Pepsi Center. It was around dinner time, and Serena was sitting at one of the tables with Paul Heyman, CM Punk, AJ Lee and The Shield – Dean, Seth and Roman. Seth was still traumatized from almost dying. He had suffered the worst of the injuries in the house. Dean was stabbed in the hip. For a while, it was difficult for him to move around, but he had endured.

Everybody was in disbelief at Serena's current predicament. She ran a hand through her dark brown hair, her light blue eyes flickering between anger and incredulity. For the past ten minutes she had been picking at her plate, not wanting to accept that her appetite was truly gone. She wasn't eating much these days, still haunted by the nightmares that came with killing a human being. Every now and then, she felt as if she could still see his blood all over her, recalling the way his blood spurted when she pushed the branch through his throat. The vivid memories haunted her.

"Get the fuck out of here," Phil Brooks, known as CM Punk, snorted. "They can't really do that, can they?"

"Apparently they can," Serena told him, deflated. Paul Heyman's eyes flashed with anger.

"This is such bullshit, Serena. I'm sorry," Paul offered. Serena shrugged. Everyone at the table nodded.

Two nights ago, as Serena packed her bags to go back on the road with the WWE, she was visited by a process server. The family of the Staten Island Slasher was suing her for the "wrongful death" of their son. Serena couldn't believe it as she read over their lawsuit. He had killed eight people, tried to kill Serena twice and had injured many, and they were suing _her_ for wrongful death. They wanted millions, an amount Serena didn't have and probably would never have in her lifetime. To say she was stressed out would be an understatement.

"You're going to fight this BS, right?" Paul asked her.

"Of course," Serena replied. "I just can't believe this is happening."

"Maybe you should fly up to Stamford on your day off," Punk suggested to her. "Vince has got an army of pit bulls that I'm sure he will unleash for you. Talk to him tonight and see if he can set you up with a consultation."

"Do you really think Vince would do that?" Serena asked. Everybody around the table nodded. Dean noticed she looked exhausted. A couple weeks ago, she had decided to give up on constantly wearing turtlenecks. Tonight she wore a white T-shirt that showed off the scar on her neck and the spiral scar on her arm. Serena had become too tired to care about what other people think, though she knew Alicia Fox and Rosa Mendes were whispering about it.

"I absolutely think he'd do that for you," Paul assured her. "Talk to Vince. I'm sure he'll set everything up for you once you explain what's happening. This is such bullshit."

"I think I'll go do that." Serena got out of her chair. Dean started to stand, but she put her hand on his shoulder. "Stay. Have dinner. It's a busy night for you three. You need to keep up your energy. I'll be right back." Dean nodded reluctantly and sat back down in his chair. Serena left the dining area, ignoring the glares from Rosa Mendes.

She made her way down the hall, moving swiftly in the direction of Vince's office. Distracted by one of the techs, she crashed into a firm body. She blushed. "Jesus, I'm sorry…"

Serena looked up, into the haunted eyes of Wade Barrett. "It's all right, love," he told her quickly. He tried to walk past her, but she reached out and grabbed him. He turned to her, surprised.

"Can we talk for a moment?" she asked.

"I don't know, Serena…"

"Please. I won't take long." With a sigh, Wade nodded and allowed Serena to lead him into his locker room. They sat down. Serena felt awkward around the man she considered a good friend. "Did I do something wrong?" she asked. She kept herself leaned against the door to keep him from leaving.

"What?"

"I just feel like you're avoiding me." She noticed the tremor in his hands as he struggled to hold onto the armband he was holding. She went over to him, kneeling in front of him and wrapping her arms around him tightly. Her actions caught Wade by surprise, but he hugged her back. It was nowhere near as tight as the hug Serena was giving him. He could smell her delicate perfume. He ran his hand over her hair, remembering how silky and smooth it was. He sighed.

"I'm sorry, love. I've just been busy and I'm dealing with a lot." Serena understood all too well. Everybody involved was still reeling. She knew that WWE Management had renewed their faith in Wade Barrett. They were using him a lot more, making him travel and do media appearances. He had just gotten back from the UK a couple days before. But there was still that nagging feeling that he blamed her for what happened. It was natural, she supposed, but she knew what happened was the fault of a deranged madman.

She pulled back and looked at his still-shaking hands. Wade looked down at them. There was something in his eyes that Serena could only identify as shame. Wade was a tall, intimidating man of six-foot-seven, but even Wade was no match for a lunatic with a stun gun. Someone had tried to kill him, and had almost succeeded. That sort of experience would drive the manliest of men to their knees. She took his hand and held it. She flashed him a soft smile.

"I'll be all right," he managed. "It's nothing compared to what you've endured. How are you?"

"I'd be a lot better if his parents weren't suing me for wrongful death."

"You're fucking kidding." Wade was incredulous. Serena assured him she was serious. "That's not right."

"No, it isn't. I was actually just on my way to talk to Vince about pointing me in the direction of a good lawyer when I ran into you," Serena told him. "I'm glad I did. What did the doctor say about the shaking?"

"He said it'll bugger off with time. I just have to be patient. It's bloody inconvenient is what it is," he vented.

"Are you talking to somebody about what happened?" Wade shook his head.

"I have been thinking about it, to be honest."

"I think you should. It can only do good to get the thoughts out." She put her hand to his face, a caring gesture that caught Wade by surprise. "We're here for you. Me, Dean, Seth and Roman are all here. Don't go this alone. I've made that mistake before."

"I appreciate your concern, Serena," Wade managed. He smiled. "Why don't I come with you to Vince's office?"

"Oh, God, that would be great. I'm going to be honest with you, Wade: Vince intimidates me. I'd rather always deal with Stephanie and Hunter. Vince is just so…larger than life."

"You and most of the roster feel that way, love," Wade chuckled. They stood and left the locker room. Serena could tell Wade was a changed man, even without seeing the shaking in his hands or the new gleam in his eyes. He followed close behind her. She was surprised when his hand came up, touching her spine gently as he guided her down the hallway towards Vince's office.

Wade knocked and then opened the door, gently pushing Serena into the room. Vince was on his cell phone. He turned to them and smiled. Even though Serena was intimidated by the ringleader aura that surrounded Vince McMahon, the truth was he had never been anything but nice to her.

"I'll call you back, Linda." He snapped the phone shut. "Serena! Wade! What can I do for you both?"

"This is really awkward, Vince, but I was hoping you could point me in the direction of a good lawyer?" Vince cocked an eyebrow. Serena quickly filled him in on the situation. Vince snorted.

"Let me get this straight: this guy kills people, tortures you _twice_, injures a bunch of my Superstars and commits arson, and his family is suing _you_?" Serena nodded. "Jesus Christ. Quite frankly, Serena, I wonder about people sometimes." Wade and Serena nodded in agreement. Vince grinned. "Don't you worry, Serena – I'll set up a meeting with you and our legal department. If they want to play hardball with you, we'll play."

Serena blinked. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it. Would an appointment on Wednesday be all right?"

"Sure." Serena was still caught by surprise that Vince was so open to help. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it. You're part of the family." He looked at Wade. "Was there something you wanted?"

"No." Vince's phone rang again. "We'll go." Vince gave them a slight wave and answered the phone. Serena and Wade left the office. Through the door, they could hear Vince's booming voice as he spoke with his son, Shane, who had left the company three years before. Serena turned to Wade.

"Are you wrestling tonight?"

"Yeah, I've got a match with R-Truth."

"Good luck out there."

"I'll probably see you afterwards." He hugged her.

"Stay strong, Wade."

"You, too, love." He let her go and disappeared down the hall. Serena watched after him, feeling awkward and fidgeting. She jumped when a hand clamped on her shoulder. She turned to see Dean Ambrose, trailed by Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns. Serena sighed.

"Jesus, you can't just sneak up on me like that," she chided them. Dean smirked, pulling her closer to him.

"Everything good?" Dean asked her.

"I don't know yet. Hopefully."


	2. Chapter 2

For what seemed like the eighteenth time, Serena checked her appearance in the bathroom mirror of her hotel room. She was dressed in a crisp black business suit with matching slacks and a white T-shirt beneath the blazer. Her hair was pulled back in a layered ponytail. Never one to use a lot of makeup, Serena opted to keep it simple with some eyeliner and nude lip gloss. It was twenty after eight on a chilly Wednesday morning in Stamford, Connecticut. It was the day Serena was set to meet with the WWE attorneys to discuss her predicament.

Dean walked into the bathroom, taking his place beside Serena as he draped his arm over her shoulder. Like Seth and Roman, he was dressed in black jeans and black T-shirt, his hair slicked back. The two of them stared into the mirror and he smirked. "Jesus Christ, Serena, you look fine already! If you take any longer, we're going to be late for our very important date." Serena smiled. Vince had insisted that Dean, Seth, Roman and Wade accompany her to the meeting.

Seth appeared in the doorway, sipping on a cup of coffee. "Dean's right, Serena – you look fine. Can we just get going now?" He was exasperated. His hair, like Roman's, was tied back in a low ponytail. Serena checked herself again in the mirror and smoothed the imaginary wrinkles out of her suit. She was nervous. It was very obvious to Dean that she was nervous.

"Sorry, Seth," Serena said sheepishly. She grabbed her cup of coffee off the counter and walked out of the bathroom, turning off the light behind her. Wade was supposed to meet them at her hotel room, but he hadn't arrived yet. She was beginning to worry. After the meeting, the four of them were going to fly back to Florida and try to enjoy what weekend they had left. "I'm just really nervous. I don't like lawyers."

"You and me both," Dean told her. "But don't be nervous. We're with you." Roman was sitting on the couch, eating a donut. Dean had arrived first, alone. Then Seth and Roman had shown up, armed with coffee and breakfast for everybody. They were pretty sure that Wade was already there, so they bought him coffee and a donut that was sitting on the countertop.

"Are we leaving?" Roman asked. Serena shook her head.

"Wade's not here yet," she answered.

"Have you guys spoken recently?" Dean asked. Serena nodded. "How's he doing?"

"Not great," she confessed. "But I think we're all a little damaged." She looked away, feeling the familiar sting of tears behind her eyelids. Never in a million years did she want to see her friends in danger. Some nights when she closed her eyes, she saw Dean getting stabbed, saw him slumping helplessly to the ground. Some nights, when her mind had nothing better to do, it wandered into dangerous territory, thinking about Roman, Seth and Wade tied up in the guest bedroom, thinking that death was imminent. Guilt consumed her, but they didn't want her feeling guilty.

There was a knock on the door before any of them could say anything to Serena. "That must be Wade," she said, forcing a smile on her face. The dark clouds had invaded, though. Serena wondered if there was ever going to be a day where she felt normal. She opened the door and smiled. Wade was dressed in a steel blue button-down shirt and black slacks. He wore sunglasses over his eyes. Headphones hung around his neck, blaring some band Serena had never heard of, but she identified it as Brit-punk.

"Good morning, love. You look beautiful," he said, giving her a hug.

"You look pretty dashing yourself," she told him with a smile. "Seth and Roman got you breakfast."

"I appreciate the thought, mates, but I'm not hungry," Wade told them. Seth and Roman nodded; they understood. Serena had noticed that all of their appetites were coming and going. Hers was, but she noticed it with the guys. She couldn't blame them; anybody would be traumatized to witness and live through what they had. "Are we ready to go?"

"I am," Serena replied, grabbing her purse. Dean, Seth and Roman stood. Serena wondered if Wade had gotten any sleep. She could tell by his stance that he was exhausted. Dean, Seth and Roman left first. Serena approached Wade and put her hand on his arm. "Are you okay?" she asked. He nodded.

"Very tired, love," he confessed. She nodded. "Come on. Let's get this meeting over with. I hate lawyers."

Serena smiled and made sure she had her key-card before they left. Wade kept his hand on her spine as they walked down the hallway towards the elevator, where Seth, Dean and Roman waited.

The drive was relatively entertaining, with Seth fiddling with the radio and Roman and Dean arguing with him over it. They bickered like a bunch of old ladies and it took everything Serena had within her to keep from laughing. Wade was just staring out the window, lost deep in thought. Serena noticed since the ordeal, Wade was retreating further and further into himself. He didn't speak the entire trip to WWE HQ.

The WWE legal team was sitting at a long conference table when Serena walked in with the guys in tow. Dean, Seth, Roman and Wade had no idea what they were even doing there. It was Serena's legal battle; the family wanted nothing to do with them. Jerry McDevitt stood and extended his hand. "Serena Lords?"

"That would be me," she squeaked. Dean nudged her into the room. She entered, shaking hands with the attorneys. They all took their seats at the table. Serena sat in the center, across from Jerry. To her left sat Wade and Roman. To her right sat Dean and Seth.

"Vince sent me a memo about what's going on with you," he told her. She nodded. "This is unbelievable."

"I remember seeing the trial on the news," one of the female attorneys, a redhead with dark brown eyes, said to Serena. She nodded. The trial had been televised. With the non-stop coverage on HLN, _everybody_ saw her. They watched her as she broke down on the witness stand. They watched as she relived the horror when she was shown the crime scene photos. She remembered the white-hot humiliation as she showed them the scars.

"What happened after the escape?"

Serena filled them in on everything, even though they had seen most of it on the news. In her state of delirium, Serena didn't remember being on the news as the loaded her into the ambulance, but people had seen her, calling out for Dean, Seth, Roman and Wade, her friends. She blushed as they filled her in on the aftermath that she didn't recall. She continued to explain how his death happened, how the police had ruled it a clear-cut case of self-defence considering he had come back for her, killing four officers and wounding others in the process. She explained how everything was quiet as she re-settled in Florida. Then she got the lawsuit notice.

"Vince says the four of you were injured?" Jerry asked. The guys nodded.

"I was actually stabbed," Dean replied. "He actually chipped some bone off my hip."

"We were tasered," Seth told him. "Then tied us up like wild animals and left us to burn." The anger was evident in his voice. Serena could feel the tears starting again. She saw Wade's hand beginning to tremor under the table. She wondered why Vince wanted them there with her. It was like tearing unhealed wounds open all over again.

"They really can't sue over this, can they?" Serena asked. Jerry nodded and Serena felt her shoulders slump.

"I'm afraid so, Serena. May I call you Serena?" he asked. She nodded. "You would be surprised at how often this happens. There are cases of killers suing their victims and even the widows of their victims. It's disgusting, but if you find the right parasite, they'll squeeze anything and anyone for a dime. But you don't have to worry, Ms. Lords, because you aren't going to have to pay these people a dime. Cases like this hardly ever go to trial."

"Really?" she asked, surprised. "You can guarantee this?"

"I'm pretty sure I can," Jerry told her. Serena felt a wave of relief wash over her. "We just need all the details. Then we will go and talk with the Roselle Park Police Department and get your files. But we need you to write us out a statement of what happened. Leave _nothing _out." The female lawyer slid legal pads and pens to the five of them.

"You want us to fill this out, too?" Wade asked. Jerry nodded.

"It's part of the strategy," Jerry told him. Wade went to pick up the pen, but it fell out of his hand. Serena studied him. The tremor was so bad in his hand he couldn't hold a pen. She knew it meant that he wouldn't be able to write. The lawyers studied Wade, making him turn bright red under their scrutiny. "How long have you had this issue, Mr. Barrett?"

"Since the explosion," Wade confessed.

"I can write this out for you, if you want to tell me everything," Serena offered. He flashed Serena a smile.

"That's all right. We'll get Michelle to do it, so you can just focus on yours," Jerry told him. "Would you mind following her into the other room?" Wade nodded and stood. Serena got to work writing out what she could remember, just like she had for the police. Dean, Seth and Roman were writing as well. There was an awkward silence in the room.

When they were finished, Wade came out. The shake in his hand had gone down considerably. Serena's heart went out to him. He stormed out of the room. Serena finished what she was writing, slid it over to Jerry and excused herself. Wade was pacing back and forth in the empty waiting area.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked. Wade shook his head.

"Talking won't do any good, love," he told her.

"I'm so sorry for everything, Wade."

"Don't go blaming yourself. You aren't responsible for his actions."

"I wish there was something I could do," she told him. She wanted to tell him that she saw so much of herself in him, in Seth and Dean and Roman. She saw their pain, and she didn't know how to alleviate the bleeding. She was still trying to piece herself together.

"Well, there's nothing." The tone was final, cold. Serena felt stung. Wade murmured something under his breath that Serena didn't catch. He walked out of the waiting area, into the main building. Serena sank down to her seat and fought the urge to cry.


	3. Chapter 3

Serena stayed with Dean for two weeks after she got out of the hospital. She was forever grateful that he gave her a place to stay. He told her she could stay for as long as she wanted, but she didn't want to be a bother. She found herself a nice spacious apartment that was only two blocks away from Dean's house. Serena lived on the second floor that came complete with a sliding glass door that led out onto a decent-sized balcony. Seth, Dean and Roman spent a couple days helping her settle in, even going so far as to donate a few items, like spare silverware and dishes. She had the basics; a bed, a couch and a TV. Since everything had been gutted in the fire, Serena was overwhelmed as she rebuilt her life from scratch.

She had to buy new clothing since she didn't even have the clothes on her back when she left the hospital. Serena had called her mother after her release to let her know she was safe and all right, but she had been forced to leave a message. She was pretty sure her mother wasn't going to call back. A month had passed since she had placed the call. Her mother had the emotional maturity of a teenager. She craved attention. Serena wished she had a normal family, but she was thankful that Dean, Seth and Roman never made her feel like she was alone.

The flames that had consumed her cottage in Roselle Park had also consumed all of her mementos and keepsakes, including photographs of her long-deceased father. Everything was gone, and what clothing she had left was taken by the police as evidence.

It was a beautiful Thursday morning in Florida, with the sunlight already brightening up her apartment through the sheer curtains hanging in the window. Serena was already dressed in a white tank top and denim shorts, her dark brown hair pulled back into a tight braid, her bangs pinned back in a bump. She was brewing some coffee. It had been another night of restless, fitful sleep. This time it had been nightmares about Wade. She dreamt of Wade, Dean, Seth and Roman all the time, of the situation they'd survived. They were horrid dreams of the worst case scenario. Serena sighed and checked her cell phone. She had called Wade before bed last night, but he hadn't answered his phone. She was worried about him. She had the feeling he resented her for what happened, even though he insisted to her it wasn't her fault.

There was a knock on the door. Serena answered. It was Dean, armed with a shopping bag. He was dressed in blue jeans and a black T-shirt, accessorized with a simple silver chain. His hair was dry and loose, falling all over his face. With his free hand, he pulled Serena into a hug. "Good morning, beautiful," he greeted. She blushed, but hugged him back. "How are you this morning?"

"I'm all right," she said with a laugh. Dean always stopped by unannounced. Serena didn't mind; she liked the company. She pulled back from the hug. "Did you want some coffee? I just made a fresh pot."

"Coffee sounds amazing," he told her. "I've been up for what feels like _forever_." He followed Serena into the kitchen and watched her as she got two mugs out of the cupboard. After all the time they had spent together over the last eight months, Serena knew exactly how he liked his coffee. He placed the bag on the countertop. "I brought breakfast."

"I see that. You didn't have to do that."

"I know I didn't have to, but I wanted to," he told her, pulling items out of the bag. There was a beat between the two of them. Dean stopped what he was doing and thanked Serena as she handed him the mug of coffee. "Wade's in a bad place isn't he?" he asked. When the meeting with the lawyers was over, he found Serena alone in the foyer, fighting back tears. Wade was waiting out front, pacing a trench in front of the car. They were distant and silent with each other the entire drive to the airport. Dean knew instantly that something unpleasant happened between the two of them, but he didn't know what.

"Yes, he is," Serena confirmed with a sigh as she put her coffee cup on the counter. She crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm worried to death about him, Dean."

"He'll be all right," Dean assured her. "Wade is a really tough guy. I'm sure he'll start feeling a little more normal when the tremors disappear. The doctors said it should only last a couple more weeks, right?"

"Hopefully," she answered. "That's what Dr. Rios is saying." There was another beat. She leaned against the countertop. "I think he hates me, Dean. I think he really, really hates me."

"What? Get out of here. That's crazy, Serena."

"Is it?" she asked, shaking her head. "I think he at least resents me a little for what happened. I can't blame him, either. God, I never ever wanted you guys to be in danger just for knowing me, and that's exactly what happened."

"Serena, you were not at fault for any of this. You didn't make it out unscathed, either," Dean pointed out.

"How is your hip doing?"

"It's still a little sore, but it's healing. As you can tell, I'm moving around better than I was." He paused. "Serena, Wade's just dealing with issues. We all are, but we'll come around. Wade will see you've been the best friend you can be to him, all while dealing with the three of us and your own problems." He studied her and noticed the bags under her eyes. "You didn't sleep last night, did you?"

"I got a little bit of sleep," she confessed. "What about you?"

"Oh yeah," he told her. "I mean, I'm not sleeping well, but at least I'm getting some."

"Seth is struggling, isn't he? He doesn't have to say anything, but I can see it. He's full of anger."

"We're all struggling. But yeah, I'd say Seth is the worst of the three of us," Dean admitted. "Roman is fucking mind-blowing with how he's been able to shrug most of it off. I'd probably be in the same boat as Roman if I didn't have this goddamn scar on my hip. I got fucking _stabbed_. It's kind of a crazy, surreal thought, but that scar is a real reality check."

"You don't have to tell me that," she said with a soft laugh. Dean nodded. Her scars were visible with the clothing she wore. She brushed a strand of hair out of his face, not surprised that it fell right back in place. One of these days she was sure it would stay, but the day hadn't come. "I'm so sorry this had to happen to you guys. It's the last thing I ever wanted."

"I know, Serena. You don't have to tell me that." There was more he wanted to tell her. He wanted to tell her he would have done anything to make sure she survived. He wondered why he had such issues with telling her certain things. "What are you doing today, Serena?"

"Nothing planned for today," she answered. "I called Wade last night to see if he wanted to meet, but he's not getting back to me. I don't think he will. He's so _angry_ and he's just freezing me out. I feel helpless."

"Don't worry so much, okay? You were pretty antisocial after the first encounter, right?" he asked. Serena nodded. "He'll work through this and he'll come to you when he's ready. I know it's hard because you're an amazing friend and you want to help, but sometimes you have to stand back."

"I know."

"Would you mind spending the day with me?" he asked.

"When have I ever minded?" Serena asked, grinning. "What do you have in mind?"

"I don't know. I just want to spend time with you."

"Aw, you're too sweet," she told him. "I almost think it's too beautiful to stay inside today. Why don't we do a picnic? I know this little place I found on a walk one afternoon. It's really pretty and usually pretty secluded, so you won't have to worry about fans harassing you." He smiled; she was always thinking about him.

"It sounds like a great idea."

"How long's it been since you've been on a picnic?" she asked. Dean laughed.

"I don't think I've ever…no, I think we did some in elementary school," he recalled. "How far is the place from here?"

"Not too far," she told him. "I'd say probably a twenty minute walk or so. It's really pretty, though. There's a bridge, and water. It's really breathtaking." Dean couldn't help but smirk. He thought it was amazing that Serena was able to go out and walk hiking trails without fearing for her life. She wasn't cowering anymore; the world was hers, and she was becoming more and more aware of it.

Dean took his cup of coffee to the couch and sat down. Serena walked into the living room with her cell phone in hand. She checked it, not surprised that there was still no message from Wade. "I think we should leave our cell phones here when we go," Dean told her. Serena blinked.

"Why?"

"I think the real question is why not," Dean told her. "You're driving yourself crazy waiting for him to message you back. I don't want to see it torpedo your days off. You'll see him on the road."

"I'm sorry," she apologized sheepishly, sitting down on the couch. "I'm just worried. I worry about all of you guys. I mean, what kind of friend would I be if I didn't worry at least a little bit?"

"I get that, but we worry about you, too. Besides, we're tough guys. It's part of our job description. So don't worry so much. Wade will come around in his own time, and he knows you're there if he needs you."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Thanks, everyone, for all the feedback and the reviews for both of these stories. The updates might be a little slow for the next two days. It's my birthday today and I'm heading out of town for a bit to enjoy it. Before I go, though, I wanted to give you guys the next chapter. Thank you all again, and have a beautiful Earth Day!**_

* * *

As the day went on, the sun only burned hotter, with a gentle breeze that didn't do much to cool down Dean and Serena as they hiked up the trail to their picnic destination. Dean was armed with the bags of food they picked up from a local deli, while Serena was armed with the blanket they were going to sit on, folded neatly over her arm. The whole idea of going on a picnic was cheesy as hell to Dean, but he knew that if Serena suggested running to the edge of the world and diving off, he'd follow her with no questions asked. She had a hold on him and she didn't even know it. But Dean was well aware. The fact that he would follow her so blindly if she asked was something that struck him dumb.

"It's a beautiful day," Serena observed, taking a sip from the bottle of iced tea in her hands. Dean was studying her intently. He had never seen her so relaxed and at ease. The breeze blew her ponytail gently. Their blanket was covered with food they had barely touched. "Thanks for coming with me. You probably think this is really lame."

"What? No," he insisted. She shot him a look. "Okay, it's very lame. But it's not so bad with you."

"Aw, you're too sweet," she said with a laugh. She stared out at the stream. "It just felt like too nice of a day to stay indoors. Mind you, give it an hour and I'm sure I'll be begging for air conditioning. I'm not used to it being so warm all the time." She had spent all of her life on the east coast, which meant blizzards in the winter and tolerable temperatures for the rest of the year. She was used to rain.

"Have you heard from your mom at all?" Dean asked. He had pushed her into calling her mother once she was released from the hospital. Serena didn't talk much about her parents – all he knew was her father was dead – and he knew better than to pry. His upbringing wasn't much better than Serena's.

"No. I'm not surprised, to be honest. She's always been like this."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine. You certainly don't need to be apologizing to me for her. Enough people do that and you haven't even met her," Serena told him with a soft laugh. "She'll call when she has a heap of bad news to lay on my doorstep. I'm not saying it to be negative; it's just the way it is. I learned a long time ago not to let it bother me. It used to. But my priorities shifted."

"My mom calls once a week," Dean confessed. "It's like clockwork. This is going to sound terrible, but I think the distance is probably the best thing for our relationship. Seth's really close with his mom. She's been his crutch for the past bit, with everything going on."

"How has your mom been about everything?"

"She's just relieved I'm all right," Dean told her. "I can't believe she hasn't phoned yet, Serena."

"If you knew her, you wouldn't be surprised," Serena told him, taking a sip from her bottle. "She didn't even come to the trial. This is so pathetic, but my sources of comfort were the news reporters. Even then, I always had to turn down their requests for interviews. I knew what they wanted, but they knew I had no desire to talk. They just waited for me to take the stand."

"I'm…"

"It's fine, Dean. They've been calling me for interviews since this went down, but I have no desire to be on TV. I just want to live a quiet, normal life…whatever that is," she said with a laugh. "It's never been my dream to be a celebrity, or to be notorious or infamous or whatever." She sighed. "I've been thinking of taking a vacation. Maybe when all these legal matters are settled I will."

"Where would you go?" he asked.

"I don't know. I've never been to Disneyland," Serena confessed sheepishly. Dean snorted.

"I haven't, either," he told her.

"I hear it's the happiest place on Earth," Serena joked, laughing. "I think we could all use a little joy."

"You're serious about a vacation."

"I am. It's been a long few years for me, Dean. I'm just emotionally wiped out. Between school, what happened, the trial, the therapy, getting the new job, having everything happen again and the lawsuit…I'm just really, really tired. And I don't want to sound like I'm complaining, because I'm here and I'm so thankful I'm still here. But I just wish I could rest a little bit. I'm just so very tired."

"I don't think anyone could fault you for being tired. You've been to Hell and back," he told her. He moved closer to her, so they were sitting beside each other, looking out at the water.

"I got an offer to write a book two days ago," Serena told him.

"Are you going to do it?"

"I don't think so. They've been offering me high figures for one since the trial, but I just have no desire to relive it on paper. I do it enough in my head. Everything I've wanted to say about it to the public was said at the trial while I was testifying. At some point, I have to draw a line. It's so exploitative the way people converge on you for surviving something so horrifying. I remember seeing the news, where that's all they covered. It had its own theme music and analysts were critiquing me on the stand…it was awful."

"I know. I saw a lot of the coverage," Dean confessed. Serena nodded. "So, Disneyland…out of all the places you would want to go…really?"

"Call it a missing piece from my childhood," Serena told him. "When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a princess," she confessed. He saw the pink blush arrive in her cheeks. "I wanted a fairy tale."

"You and every girl," Dean said with a roll of his eyes.

"By your tone, I assume that's bitten you in the butt a few times in your dating life," Serena teased.

"Oh yeah," Dean replied. "They want you around all the time. Then you are and suddenly you're too clingy. I can't win." Serena laughed. "I'm glad my plight amuses you."

"I'm sorry. It's so true, though." She thought to herself. "Are you seeing anyone?"

"I haven't been on a date in over a year," Dean confessed. His candor surprised Serena. He took a sip from his bottle of iced tea. "I have been kind of busy, though." He looked over at Serena. "How long's it been for you?"

"Me? Jesus, it's been forever," Serena told him. "I haven't dated anyone since Shaun. I haven't thought much about it, the whole dating thing." She rested her head on Dean's shoulder. "Am I a horrible person?"

"What? Get out of here, Serena."

"I'm glad he's dead. I shouldn't be glad that somebody died, but I'm so glad I killed him. I feel like I should regret it, like I should be guilty I drove that stick right through his throat…but I can't. His parents are grieving, and all I can think about is it was either me or him, and I couldn't let him win."

Dean wrapped an arm around her and drew her a little closer. "It doesn't make you a bad person, Serena. I'd be concerned if you weren't conflicted like this, but you did the right thing under the circumstances. The world's a lot brighter with him gone and you here, I'll tell you that much." Serena smiled.

"You always know the right things to say to me," she teased. He laughed. "Thanks for humoring me today."

"Thanks for giving me something to do. I get so bored on my days off," Dean told her.

"Me, too," Serena confessed. "But I'd lose my mind if I didn't have them."

"Have Alicia and Rosa been giving you a hard time?" he asked.

"Not since you, Seth and Roman went after them," Serena told him with a smile. "Thanks again. I know you don't have to look out for me as much as you do, but I appreciate that the three of you do."

Dean sipped his iced tea. "I've been thinking of doing crazy stuff," Serena confessed. Dean blinked.

"And just what are you thinking?" he asked.

"I don't know yet, but I just want to live a little more. Dealing with this twice has made me think that my life to this point has been wasted. But I definitely need to see Disneyland at least once. Maybe we should book it around our days off. You could come with me, if you wanted. We could drag Seth and Roman, too. I think Seth would have a blast."

"Seth's probably been," Dean told her. "But you're right…Seth's kind of a dork."

"That's not what I was saying at all!" she laughed, sitting upright.

"You were. That's exactly what you were saying," he told her. She shook her head, still smiling. Dean leaned back on the blanket, resting on his elbows. "I think it would be a good idea. Just don't tell anyone, Serena – I do have an image to uphold, you know." They smirked at each other.

"You're too twisted to enjoy Disneyland?" she teased.

"Happiest place on Earth," he snorted. "There's no such thing."

"I'm sure there is," Serena told him. He smiled; in spite of it all, she was still very much an idealist. "We just haven't found it yet."


	5. Chapter 5

_Raw _rolled into the Salem Civic Center in Roanoke, West Virginia. It was a rainy afternoon, with dark clouds in the sky and the sun completely blocked. Serena entered the arena dressed in a V-neck, three-quarter sleeved dark grey sweater dress. Underneath she wore black capri tights. Her jewelry was simple; a pair of silver hoop earrings and a simple silver necklace completed the look. The second she walked into the arena, eyes were on her. She felt like she stuck out like a sore thumb.

She went to the match card hanging in the arena by the Gorilla Position. Serena noticed that Dean, Seth and Roman weren't wrestling, but she knew they were going to be involved with the show in some capacity. She saw Wade had a match towards the end of the night against Mike Mizanin, known to millions as The Miz. It said his championship was on the line.

"Excuse me a second, love…sweet Jesus, Serena, what have you done with yourself?"

"You don't like it," Serena accused, disappointed. Wade reached out and fingered a lock of her hair.

"I didn't say that. It's just surprising. It's so blue. When on Earth did you do this? Why on Earth did you do this?" he asked, letting the hair fall away from his fingers.

"I just thought I'd try something new. Live a little, you know?" Serena sighed. "You don't like it."

"It suits you. I'm just surprised. Your hair is blue, for Chrissakes!"

There was an awkward silence between the two of them. "Wade, I…"

"You're kidding. I didn't think for a second you'd go through with this."

Serena turned to see Seth and Roman approach. Seth shook his head. "You really didn't think I'd go through with this?" she asked, surprised. She felt insecure with all the stares she had gotten all day, but she thought it looked all right. The blue was a deep sapphire, with violet streaks. She had it done professionally the day before. Dean approached, sipping on a bottle of water. "I told you guys I was going to do it."

"It's just a shock," Dean told her, reaching out and touching her hair. Roman, Seth and Wade nodded.

"I have a match. I have to go," Wade said. Dean watched Serena's shoulders curve. She reached out to stop him, but she barely missed him, watching helplessly as she walked away. He never looked back to face Serena. All he did was readjust the Intercontinental Championship over his shoulder. She put a hand to her forehead and sighed. The helplessness in her eyes was evident. He hated seeing her so upset, reaching out to nothing. Wade didn't need to use Serena to get through his issues, but Dean thought he at least owed Serena a modicum of honesty. If he needed space, just tell her.

He wondered what was going on in Wade's mind. For a while, he was pretty sure that Wade and Serena were going to get together. He was even willing to step back and let it happen if it meant that Serena was going to be happy. That's all he ever wanted for her. Dean tried to press Serena for answers during the picnic, but she didn't know anything about Wade's state of mind, and he could see she hated being left in the dark. Dean's shoulders slumped; Serena looked like she was ready to cry. Seth approached her and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"He'll come around, Serena. Don't worry," Roman assured her, approaching and putting a hand on her other shoulder. She smiled sadly. Seth grinned.

"Since you look like a rock star tonight, why don't you come out with us tonight and party like one?" Seth suggested. Serena laughed, effectively breaking the tension and discomfort. She looked over at Dean.

"You're actually going out to party?" she asked incredulously. Dean wasn't the type to do such a thing. Serena thought he was one of the most focused and driven individuals she'd ever met. In all the time they had known each other, Serena could count on one hand the number of times he went out after the show for drinks. She thought he had a maturity level that was well beyond his years.

"Seth and Roman threatened to drag me kicking and screaming tonight, so I figured what the hell," Dean told her. There was a beat. "You should come with us, Serena. Live a little," he teased. Serena shot him a look.

"Oh, well, when you put it like that, I just have to come out, don't I?"

"I guess you have to," Dean told her nonchalantly, jamming his hands into his pockets and staring at everything but Serena. Seth and Roman were watching the two of them very carefully. Seth was suppressing snickers.

"Dean is thinking you look far too good to sit alone in a hotel room tonight by yourself," Seth told her. Dean shot him a look. Serena cocked an eyebrow. Roman had to turn away so nobody could see him laughing while Dean shot daggers at Seth with his eyes.

"Is that so? I guess when you put it that way, I'll go," Serena told him. "I'm going to be off earlier than you guys, though, so where are you going? I'll meet you there."

"We're going to Freeway."

"Oh. I drove past that one on the way here. I'll meet you there then," she told them with a smile. "I should get going, though. Dr. Rios expected me like ten minutes ago and I wanted to get some coffee." She hugged the three of them. Dean held onto her tightly and for a couple seconds longer than the others. He let her go and she disappeared, heading towards catering for her cup of coffee before she checked in with Dr. Rios.

"What was that?" Seth teased, giving Dean a little shove.

"Don't start, Seth. Seriously," Dean warned them through gritted teeth. Roman opened his mouth, but one look from Dean and he clamped it shut. Seth and Roman looked at each other. Their smiles spread across their faces until they began laughing uncontrollably. Dean threw up his arms, exasperated. "Oh, for Chrissakes!" Seth and Roman laughed harder as he stormed off down the hallway. "You guys are dicks!" he called out to them, not turning back. Seth and Roman laughed even harder, doubling over and high-fiving each other.


	6. Chapter 6

_"California girls, we're unforgettable – daisy dukes, bikinis on top…"_

Serena rolled her eyes as she listened to the generic music booming from the DJ's turntable. She was sitting alone at a table, waiting for Dean, Seth and Roman to arrive. Even though they didn't have much to do on the show, it was an unwritten rule that all talent stays until the show is over. They texted to say that their meeting with the road agents was running long and they would be by shortly.

She was distracted about her run-ins with Wade Barrett over the course of the night. Before his match, he came to her to be stretched out. He didn't say much. Serena noticed the bags under his eyes. She knew he wasn't sleeping, but she didn't want to say anything and create a scene. She was concerned about him, but he didn't seem to care. Serena told him that they were going out tonight and invited him. He had grunted a response, but she was pretty sure that he wasn't coming out. Towards the end of the night, as she was leaving, she caught him talking to Alicia Fox, his ex-girlfriend. They waved to her, Alicia with a smug grin on her face. AJ had snorted as she helped Serena load her car. Serena had waved back to be nice, but she was confused beyond words. Now she sat alone at her table, sipping a cotton candy Cosmo and grimacing at the music. All the bass-lines sounded the same to her.

"You look far too pretty to be sitting here by yourself."

Serena looked up to see a guy standing at her table. He was handsome; at least six feet tall with broad shoulders and wavy brown hair. He was dressed in blue jeans, a white Foo Fighters T-shirt and a plaid shirt rolled up to the sleeves that he wore over the T-shirt. In his hands he held two shot glasses. "I'm not alone," she told him. "I'm just waiting for friends." Inwardly she was rolling her eyes. "Are you here alone?"

"No. My friends are on the dance floor." He sat down without an invitation.

"Why aren't you with them?" she asked.

"I've got two left feet," he confessed with a sheepish laugh. "I'm David."

"Serena."

"Hello, Serena. I like your hair."

"Thanks," she said with a laugh. Her eyes shifted to the door and she wondered where the guys were. AJ and Dolph were talking about joining them, since Serena brought it up to AJ as she was leaving.

"Here," he said to her, sliding one of the shot glasses to her. Serena shook her head. "That's all right, thanks. I still have my Cosmo," she told him. His green eyes took on a lost puppy-dog look.

"Come on. This is the best shot you'll ever have. It tastes like a Jolly Rancher."

Serena thought about being firm with him, about saying no, but she didn't want to cause a scene. She spotted the bouncers making the rounds and she silently reminded herself that the Slasher was gone and she had nobody to fear anymore. Her friends would be there sooner rather than later; she was hoping much sooner.

"Thank you," she told him. She took the shot and slammed it back. She coughed and sputtered at the strong taste. She put the shot glass down on the table and went back to her Cosmo. Another fifteen minutes passed, and she was surprised he wasn't leaving. She was surprised they hadn't arrived yet. She kept checking the door.

"Do you want to dance?" he asked as _Super Bass _started to blare through the speakers. Serena shook her head.

"I can't. My friends should be here pretty quick."

"Just one dance," he pleaded. "We'll stay close to the doors so you can keep an eye out."

"I don't know…"

"Come on," he goaded. He stood up and came around to her, grabbing her wrist. She allowed him to drag her to the dance floor. The instant she stood, Serena felt herself become lightheaded. She was sure she stood up too fast, so with a shake of her head, she tried to get past it. She was starting to feel drunk. Serena assumed the shot was too strong for her system. She wasn't much of a drinker to begin with.

Once they were on the dance floor, he put his hands low on her hips. It made her uncomfortable. She attempted to move his hands up to her waist, but it felt like her limbs weighed a ton. The lightheaded feeling returned. Serena felt her eyelids becoming droopy. He pressed super close to her. She put her hands up to his chest and tried to pull away, but she was surprised to find she was losing strength.

"Let go of me…I don't feel so well…" Serena murmured. He shushed her. "Let go…"

He was grinding against her. His lips found her neck. "No," she told him. "Stop…" she slurred. She put a hand to her head. Serena was starting to feel overheated and exhausted. "Let go of me." In her haze, she realized that his name probably wasn't David and that he probably didn't have any friends on the dance floor. She also realized that she had been wrong to assume that this place was safe because there were bouncers on patrol.

"We should get out of here," he told her. She was shaking her head vehemently, but it felt like she was moving underwater. "Your friends will understand," he assured her. She shook her head.

"No…get away from me…" she slurred, her tone dropping to a whisper. She tried to push away from him, but he had a good grasp on her arms. She spotted a bouncer on the dance floor. Serena thought about shouting to him, but when she opened her mouth, nothing but air came out. Her eyelids were getting heavier and heavier. She was sure she could fall asleep standing. He started pulling her towards the door.

"What's going on?" the bouncer at the door asked. He was a hulking man with tattoos. Serena was sleep-walking by this point. How she was on her feet, she didn't know. She opened her mouth to speak, but he spoke first.

"My friend's had a little too much to drink. I'm just going to take her home," he told the bouncer, who nodded. Serena opened her mouth, but he roughly dragged her out of the club.

"Let go…" Serena tried to struggle, but her movements were weak. She swayed.

"I've got this."

Serena fell into another set of arms. She looked up to see Dean staring down at her. "Jesus, Serena," he said. He looked at her eyes. They were glazed and vacant.

"Dean?" she whispered. Dean's eyes blazed.

"What did you do to her?" he accused. Serena went limp in his arms. Concern hit him like a train. "Serena?"

"I didn't do nothing she didn't want," he told Dean smugly. He went to walk away, but Seth, Roman, Dolph, Big E Langston and AJ surrounded him. AJ was watching Dean carefully; he was about to snap. They had tried to get out of the arena earlier, but Michael Hayes wouldn't stop talking. Dean had been worried about Serena sitting in the club by herself, but AJ and Seth assured him everything was fine. Obviously, Dean had reason to be concerned.

"What did you do to her?" Dean asked firmly. He could hear Serena's soft breathing. She was asleep standing in his arms. He didn't have to ask; growing up the way he grew up, he knew exactly what happened to Serena. But he wanted to hear the piece of garbage in front of him admit it. He never would, though.

"Dean…" Seth started, but Dean was angry. Roman and Seth had only seen him this angry once before. It was going to get ugly very quickly.

"I'm fucking out of here…" the guy started. He tried to move, but Dean moved faster. Dean's fist planted firmly into the man's face. He felt the bones in his nose crunch underneath his fist. A red-hot jolt of pain shot through his arm, but he didn't care. The dark side of him was coming out. AJ shrieked. The man crumpled to the concrete.

Dean looked at his fist. There was blood on his knuckles, but he wasn't sure if it was his or the guy on the ground's. "Jesus Christ, Dean!" Seth shouted, running a hand through his hair. "What the fuck?"

"He drugged her, Seth. Look at her!" Dean swung her around. They watched as her limp body flopped around. AJ's face was darkened in concern as she ran a hand through her hair. "He's lucky I don't kill him slowly," he growled. The thoughts running through his head would have scarred a normal person for life. His free hand balled back into a fist.

"You need to get Serena out of here," AJ told him.

They heard the sounds of sirens. Seth turned and saw a small crowd at the other end of the parking lot. Somebody had called the police. "Dean, you need to get out of here. You've got blood on your hands," Roman told him. Dolph reached into his back pocket and tossed a pair of driving gloves at Dean, who barely caught them with one hand. He looked at them, cocking an eyebrow.

"Why do you have driving gloves? What are you, like ninety?" Dean asked.

"Are you really going to question me at a time like this?" Dolph asked. Dean shook his head.

"You are a fucking weirdo, Ziggler," Dean informed him, sliding the gloves on. They were a snug fit, but it hid the blood on his knuckles.

"Is Serena okay?" AJ asked. Dean nodded.

"She just needs to sleep it off. She'll wake up in the morning and she probably won't remember any of this, thank God." He looked at her and sighed, shaking his head. "When's it going to get better for her, you guys?"

"It will sooner or later, Dean. But you need to get her out of here," Dolph told him. The cop cars turned into the parking lot. Dean nodded, picking up Serena and taking her over to his car. He wondered where her purse was, if she had driven over. He scanned the parking lot and noticed that her rental car was missing. He assumed she took a cab because she knew she was going to have a few drinks with them. He got her in the backseat, buckling her in. He closed the door and her head rested against the glass. He sighed, getting into the driver's seat as the police pulled in. Dean started the car and pulled forward, driving towards the exit. The officers were talking to AJ, Dolph and Seth. He looked at Serena sleeping in the backseat. He realized his hand really hurt.

"Motherfucker!" Dean exploded. He felt a lot better once the words were out of his system. He drove with his good hand while he clenched and unclenched his hand. He wasn't even sorry for laying the guy out. His only regret was that he couldn't beat him more. He wondered how many punches it would have taken him to make the man's face collapse. He looked in the mirror at Serena, who looked peaceful as she slept.

He pulled into the hotel parking lot, pulled off the gloves and dropped them on the passenger's seat. "Fucking Ziggler," he murmured under his breath, taking a moment to snort. He looked into the backseat. He was going to have to walk through the hotel with an unconscious Serena. He went to the backseat and unbuckled her seatbelt. He looked around for a key card and her cell phone, but he couldn't find it. He wondered if she had them stored in her bra, but very quickly decided that he was not going to do that.

Dean pulled her out of the car and picked her up. He wrapped her arms around his neck to anchor her to him and kicked the car door closed. With his free hand, he locked the car door with the button on his keychain. He wondered if they should have stayed around and let the police look at Serena, but he didn't want to see her go through things anymore. He hoped this could be handled quietly. Had he stayed around, Dean was pretty sure he would have ended up arrested for assault. Then he'd have to explain everything to Vince, and announce that some guy had drugged Serena and tried to leave with her. He was angry; so very, very angry.

He was aware of the stares as he carried his blue-haired friend through the lobby and into the elevator. He was thankful he didn't see anyone he knew. He pushed the button to take them to the thirteenth floor, where he was staying. "Jesus, Serena," he murmured under his breath. All he could smell was her perfume. He looked at the dark blue hair and exhaled, shaking his head. The world around him seemed to be getting crazier. He was hanging onto his sanity by a thread.

Dean stepped off the elevator, thankful the hallway was empty. He walked to his door and maneuvered Serena so he could get his key card. Unlocking the door, he nudged it open and kicked it shut behind him. He stubbed his toe on his suitcase and almost dropped Serena. "Of course," Dean uttered, irritated. He thought about kicking the suitcase, but decided he was in enough pain with his hand. He turned on the light. Serena wasn't stirring, but he was relieved she was still breathing. He carried her over to the queen sized bed and put her down on it. He pulled over the other side of the blanket and draped it over her. He stepped back and stared down at her, running a hand over his head. There was a part of him that wanted to speed back to the club and finish what he started, but he didn't want to leave Serena.

He leaned down and kissed her forehead. She didn't stir. He brushed a stray strand of blue hair out of her face before leaving the room. Dean turned off the light and settled down on the couch. He couldn't sleep; he was pretty sure he wasn't going to be able to sleep until Serena woke up. He found some _Robot Chicken_ on Adult Swim. He watched TV until he couldn't keep his eyes open anymore and he fell asleep on the couch.


	7. Chapter 7

Dean stood in the hallway, filling up the ice bucket so he could ice down his swollen and discolored hand. It was twelve minutes past six o'clock in the morning and he was in all sorts of pain. His hand throbbed. He woke up at just after five in the morning with a painful kink in his neck from falling asleep on the couch. While he tried to rub the pain away, he went into the kitchen and got a glass of water and two Advil tablets. Moving quietly, he placed them on the nightstand next to Serena. Then he sat down with his cell phone on the empty side of the bed and proceeded to play telephone Tetris while he waited for her to wake up. The entire night he had worried about her, causing a fitful and restless sleep. At three o'clock just after he started dozing, he got a text message from Dolph, telling him that the crisis was averted and he wanted his driving gloves back. Dean had rolled his eyes and settled back down on the couch.

At quarter to six, Serena groaned, waking up with a bad case of cottonmouth and a splitting headache. She was horrified to realize that her memory of the entire night was in bits and pieces. The last thing she remembered was the pushy man with the bright blue shots who had approached her while she was waiting for The Shield. Serena was mortified as Dean filled in the missing pieces of her night. She looked at his hand, convinced he had broken a knuckle. Now, while Serena was pacing back and forth in the hotel room, mentally berating herself for the situation she had been in, Dean was standing at the ice machine, filling up the bucket.

"What's all this? Your hand looks rough."

Dean looked up to see Wade Barrett standing beside him. Wade looked like he was coming back from the gym, dressed in a black athletic outfit. His headphones were hanging around his neck. He held a cup of coffee in his hand. "What in the hell do you care, Barrett?" Dean asked bitterly. Wade put his hands up in mock surrender and put the best offended look he could on his face. Dean sighed. "If you have to know, Barrett, I got this dealing with a real asshole last night."

"I heard. Is Serena okay?" he asked.

"Why don't you ask her?" Dean shot back. "Send her a text message or give her a visit."

"What's with the hostility, Ambrose? I was just asking a question."

"What's with _my _hostility? I could ask you the same question," Dean snorted. "Are you just being willfully ignorant of the way you're treating Serena, or are you just that big of a dick?"

"Excuse me?" Wade was righteously offended. "What's going on between Serena and I is none of your business," Wade told him darkly. "You're stepping over the line, Ambrose, and you'd better back off."

"Serena is my business, Barrett, and you know that better than anybody," Dean told him angrily. He let go of the ice button and exhaled sharply. "I get you're dealing with heavy shit right now, Wade. We all are. I got stabbed, and I know you know what that feels like and all the stupid bullshit that goes along with it. I'm not judging you for dealing with things your way, because we are all dealing. But if you blame Serena, or if you've decided you don't want to be friends with her then do us all a favor, grow a set of balls and tell her. Don't string her along. She deserves better than that." He went to leave, but stopped and turned back to Wade. "At your age, I shouldn't have to tell you that honesty is the best policy." Wade snorted indignantly as Dean went back to his hotel room.

Inside his hotel room, Serena paced back and forth, wringing her hands. She turned to him. "I'm so sorry about everything last night, Dean," she apologized. She took his swollen hand in hers and studied it. "If your hand looks like this, I'd hate to see what the other guy looks like," she cracked. Dean smirked. "I'm so, so sorry about everything."

"You're giving me grey hair, Serena," Dean told her sternly. He noticed she looked like she was ready to cry. He sighed, gathering her up in his arms for a hug. She burst into tears and he felt his heart break. "Don't cry, Serena. I was just kidding. It's not your fault. I just worry about you, and this makes me think twice about letting you out of my sight." She smiled. There was a beat between them. She felt his fingers in her hair. "Dare I say it, but I think I'm coming around on your hair."

Serena pulled back. "Let's get some ice on your hand," she told him. She took his sore hand and gently led him into the kitchenette area. She pulled the ice bag out of the ice bucket and put it on his hand. He winced. "Thank you, Dean. For always looking out for me," she added. Dean hissed as the ice stung his hand. "If you're, uh, still up for it, I was thinking we could do the Disneyland trip in two weeks…if you still want to come out, of course. I know you think it's really lame."

"I'm still up for it," he told her with a smile. "It sounds like it could be fun."

"I'm sorry," she said, blinking. "What was that? Did you just say that it could be fun?"

"You know what I said," he told her.

"I thought you were allergic to the word," she teased.

"You hang around Seth too much," he told her. She laughed.

"Have you spoken to Seth and Roman about the trip?"

"I did," Dean admitted. "Seth's ecstatic about it. Roman's excited, too, I can tell. He's just better at keeping things veiled than Seth is." They walked over to the couch and sat down. "Thanks for inviting us. I know we have to cramp your style," he teased. Serena snorted.

"Please. If anything, I cramp _your _style. God, you haven't been on a date in forever," Serena told him. "I can't be that great in the company department."

"You're the best company I could ever ask for," he told her. There was so much he wanted to tell her, but he was afraid of scaring her off. He wanted to tell her that he had never felt so at ease around somebody. They were so similar in so many ways. It felt like there was this invisible line comprised of unspoken words that neither side dared to cross. Dean thought of himself as a pretty tough, brave individual, but the idea of being rejected by Serena was enough to make him shrivel. There was a knock on the door.

"I'll get it. You just stay seated," Serena told him. She went to the door and opened it, surprised to find Wade standing on the other side. "Wade. What are you doing here?"

"I stopped by your hotel room, love, and saw you weren't there. I ran into Dean earlier and I figured you were here. Can we talk?" Dean and Wade shot daggers at each other, but Serena didn't seem to notice.

Serena turned to Dean. "Are you okay for a bit?"

"Of course," he told her. "I'm going to actually crawl into bed now that it's free."

She went over to Dean and hugged him. "Thank you for everything, Dean. I don't know what I'd do without you." He hugged her tightly, running his hand through her hair.

"You'll never have to find out," he assured her. He shot a pointed look at Wade, who smirked. Serena pulled away and left the room. Dean sighed, running a hand through his hair before he went into the bedroom area.

Wade and Serena got into the elevator and Serena went down to the fourth floor. "How are you doing?"

"I'm doing all right, love. I heard you had a bad night."

"Dean told you?" Wade shook his head.

"I heard from AJ and Dolph," Wade told her. She made a mental note to talk to them. They got off the elevator and went to her hotel room. She pulled the card out of her bra and unlocked the door. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, outside of some cottonmouth, some memory loss and a headache. I'm more worried about Dean, though. His hand looks ugly." She sat down on the couch. "So what brings you here? I've kind of had the feeling that you don't want to be around me anymore."

"I'm sorry, Serena."

"It's fine. I'm just worried about you," she told him. "How are the tremors?"

"Fading, finally," he answered, sitting down on the couch beside her. There was an awkward beat between them. "Serena, I…"

"Are you and Alicia getting back together?" Serena asked. Wade sighed.

"We're thinking of working stuff out, but I don't know. I've more or less come to the conclusion that I don't know anything about anything anymore, love," he told her. Serena nodded. "I'm sorry I can't be there for you the way you need me to be." He was so blunt that Serena blinked. She didn't even know what to say. "Dean says I need to be honest with you, and he's right. I need space from you, Serena. I know it's not your fault, but I just need time to myself."

"Okay," she said. She was surprised at how cold he sounded. "I'll be here when you need me."

"Thanks, Serena," he told her. He hugged her. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Just get yourself taken care of," she told him. She was sad, but she was thankful that she knew where she stood now. Wade got up and let himself out. Serena crumpled to the couch when the door closed and ran a hand through her hair. She thought she would be more upset, but the distance he had already created had softened the blow somehow. She rested her head back against the couch and stared up at the ceiling. More and more she was looking forward to that Disneyland trip.


	8. Chapter 8

Alicia Fox waved at Serena, a smug smile tugging at her features. Serena waved back, fighting the urge to flash Alicia a prime view of her middle finger. Serena was flanked by Seth and Roman, since Dean's flight was delayed. Wade, who was talking to Alicia, turned to see Serena and then turned back to Alicia without acknowledging her. The sting of rejection was acute. Tears instantly burned behind Serena's eyes and her heart felt heavy. Seth and Roman put reassuring hands on her shoulder and she turned to them, flashing the two of them reassuring smiles.

Serena followed them to their locker room. Her phone buzzed. It was Dean. He had just got off the airplane and was speeding to the arena. Serena told him to drive safe and then sighed as she slid the phone back into her pocket. "I'm really sorry, Serena. What a jerk," Seth told her, sitting down beside her. Serena offered him a sad smile.

"It's all right. He said he needed space. I just didn't know it meant I was supposed to cease to exist," she replied. Seth draped an arm around her and dragged her into him for a half-hearted hug.

"I know it's not much of a consolation prize, but you've still got us," Roman cracked. Serena laughed.

"You guys are so not consolation prizes. You guys are amazing," Serena told them.

"Say the word and we'll kick his ass," Roman told her. Serena giggled.

"You guys are too good to me. Wade's just doing some soul-searching," she said with a sigh. "I can't fault him for needing his space to do that. I just thought we were better friends than to cut each other out like this." She clapped her hands together. "But enough about that; Dean told you guys that we're going to make the trip in two weeks, right?"

"He did. I can't wait!" Seth exclaimed. Serena cocked an eyebrow.

"Have you been?"

"Not since I was a kid," he confessed. "In that time, there's been a lot of stuff that's come out. I want to get Woody's autograph, and I want to go on the Pirates ride, and I want…"

"…And you totally want to hit on Cinderella," Roman said. Seth shot him a look. Serena laughed.

"Oh, Seth, you do not." He didn't answer. Roman nodded, and Serena doubled over laughing. "Oh, Seth, I love you to death," she managed between peals of laughter. She gave him a hug. "Thank you. I really needed that." There was a beat. "Did Dean get his hand checked out?" she asked. Seth nodded.

"He broke one of his knuckles," Seth confirmed. "He won't miss any ring time. He's just going to tape it up and work through the pain. I'm not surprised; he hit that guy hard." Roman nodded. Serena blushed; she wished she could remember what happened after the guy came to her with the shots. Dean said she was still semi-awake when he saw her. He told Serena he spotted him dragging her across the parking lot and was the first one out of the car. That didn't surprise Serena.

"Have you heard anything about the lawsuit?" Roman asked. Serena shook her head.

"Jerry's been trying to meet with their attorneys, but they keep giving him the runaround. We finally got a meeting set up for Thursday. Jerry has an idea that might make them drop the lawsuit, but I don't know if they're going to go for it. He said it involves you guys, but that's all he's saying until his paralegal goes through the law books and they get more information about the estate."

"I can't believe that. It's so disgusting," Roman said. Serena nodded.

"I know I haven't really asked, but how are you guys doing? Are you guys okay? I know I haven't made it seem like it, but I do worry about you guys. You're the brothers I never had." Seth and Roman smiled.

"We're fine, Serena," Roman assured her. She looked at Seth, who nodded. "We're not going to live the rest of our lives angry, or in fear. That's giving him power he doesn't deserve. We're aware it could have gone one way, but it didn't, and we're just thankful to be here having this conversation." Seth nodded in agreement. She hugged them both.

"Don't worry about us, Serena," Seth said. "We've processed it, and we're fine. We're tough."

"I know you are," she said, pulling back. She looked at the clock on the wall. "I hate to cut the conversation short, guys, but I need to go check in with Dr. Rios. When Dean gets here, you tell him to come to the trainer's office so we can ice down his hand and give him a painkiller. I can't believe he knocked somebody's lights out. Have you heard anything about any legal ramifications?"

"No. Then again, who wants to admit they got knocked out for drugging somebody?" Roman snorted.

"Good point, Roman. Thank God you're so smart," she said with a grin. She bid them farewell and left their locker room. Along the way she bumped into Daniel Bryan, who was talking to Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes. Damien hugged Serena. They were all dressed in suits; none of them were in their ring gear.

"Serena! It's wonderful to see you!" Damien greeted. She pulled back.

"Thanks, Damien. It's always a pleasure."

"How are you feeling?" Cody asked. "I heard there was a little bit of trouble last weekend."

"I really need to talk to Dolph and AJ," Serena said with a laugh. "There was a little bit of trouble, but I have good friends who look out for me, so it didn't get too out of hand. You guys should really come out with us sometime." Serena knew that Daniel was dating Brie Bella, one of the Divas that bullied her until Dean and the guys had stepped in. Serena didn't hold it against Daniel; she knew he wasn't responsible for Brie's actions. Daniel also didn't like to get involved in the Divas affairs. She thought he was a nice guy who often dressed like a lumberjack.

"We should," Cody agreed. Damien nodded.

"Where's your second shadow?" Daniel asked. Serena blinked. "The Shield."

"Oh!" she laughed. "Dean's on his way. His flight got delayed. Seth and Roman are in their locker room. I was just on my way to Dr. Rios…second shadow. You're funny."

"I like the blue, Serena. It suits you," Damien told her. She laughed.

"I think it almost matches your robe." Cody cracked a smirk. "Anyway, I have to get going. Good luck out there tonight, you guys." She hugged Damien, Cody and Daniel and went to Dr. Rios' office. He was stretching out Randy Orton when she walked in. Randy turned to her as Dr. Rios stretched his leg right up. His face contorted.

"Hi," Serena greeted, putting her bag down on her tabletop.

"Hi, Serena," they greeted. After some idle chatter, Wade Barrett came in, looking to get his arm and shoulder looked at. He was disappointed to find Dr. Rios was busy. Serena felt awkward as well, but Wade walked over to her area and sat down.

"Which shoulder is bothering you?" she asked. The air was awkward. Serena wondered if Dr. Rios and Randy could sense it. Wade wordlessly raised his left shoulder and she got to work massaging it and stretching out his arm. She heard him exhale, a deep exhale that seemed to deflate him. She wanted to say something to him, but she promised herself she wouldn't become one of those creepy, clingy female friends. They weren't dating. He'd never expressed interest in the two of them going out, at least as far as she could tell. She worked in silence. He didn't bother making small chatter. He thanked her when she was finished and left. Serena watched him leave, her shoulders curving, the familiar feeling of tears burning behind her eyelids.

It was a slow afternoon. Serena paced back and forth in the room, bored, until Dr. Rios forced her to sit down. He told her she made him nervous with all her pacing. Just after three-thirty, Dean walked in. Serena rushed to him and he gave her a hug. She looked at his hand. "It looks much better today," she told him. "Does it still hurt?"

"Yeah," Dean answered with a curt nod. He sat down and let Dr. Rios take a look at his hand.

"How did you do this again, Mr. Ambrose?"

"The usual – someone ran into my fist with their face," he answered. Serena made a noise, but she covered her mouth to suppress it. Dr. Rios touched the knuckle and Dean hissed. He told Serena to get him the painkiller and the syringe. Serena held his hand as Dr. Rios injected the painkiller into his knuckle.

"It won't make you drowsy, so you don't have to worry about doing any Ric Flair drops in the middle of your match," Dr. Rios told him. "It's just going to freeze it so you'll forget about the pain."

"I appreciate that."

"I'd tell you not to get into any more altercations, but I do realize the profession you're in," he joked with a twinkle in his eye. Serena and Dean laughed. "I've heard some rumblings back here that it was in a bar-fight?"

"There was no bar-fight, but yeah, this isn't ring related," Dean answered.

"Was there a woman involved?" he asked with a twinkle in his eye.

"Isn't there always?" Dean joked back. The two of them laughed. Serena rolled her eyes and went to her table to tidy up. "Thanks for giving me the shot. It's starting to work already." He stood and approached Serena. He gave her a hug. "I'll catch you later. We're going to do a thing at the hotel. If we're doing the trip in two weeks, we need to hammer out some more details." Serena nodded and he touched her hair before he left.

The rest of the night passed slowly.

Seth entered the trainer's room with a visible limp in her step. Serena approached. Dr. Rios was busy talking with Ryback, who had jarred his shoulder earlier on in the night. "Seth! Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I came down hard on a dropkick," he confessed. "I don't think anything has torn, but it's just really sore. Think I can get you to stretch it out for me?"

"Of course I can. Lie down and I'll take a look." Seth propped himself up onto the table and rested back. Serena started rubbing at his kneecap. He gasped. "On a scale of one to ten, Seth, how bad is the pain?"

"About a five," Seth confessed. "It's more inconvenient than anything."

There was a beat between the two of them. Serena continued to massage the kneecap. "Cinderella, huh? I didn't have you pegged for blondes." Seth groaned.

"I'm gonna kill Roman, you know that, right?"

"It's fine. I personally think it's adorable."

"You're too sweet, Serena," he told her. She started stretching out his legs. He made a sound that made Serena stop. "It's all right, Serena. It's just a little sore."

"I don't want to make it worse."

"It's fine. Let's just get through this and then I'll get an ice pack from you."


	9. Chapter 9

It was after two o'clock in the morning by the time Dean, Seth and Roman made it back to the hotel. They decided to meet in Dean's hotel room. After spending years on the independent circuit, sleeping in the backseat of his car or in hotel rooms crammed to the brink with other guys, Dean found he liked having his own hotel room. Seth and Roman always roomed together. They invited Dean to room with them, but Dean liked his separation. As it was he worked with them, worked out with them and ate with them. He figured if he had to sleep in the same room, with Roman's snoring and Seth's nerdy quirks, Dean would probably kill them both.

The three of them were nursing bottles of beer, waiting for Serena to arrive. She left late to take a meeting with Vince McMahon, Dr. Rios and Dr. Sampson. She wanted to hit her hotel room and take a quick shower before she made it up to their room. They didn't mind; they were always wide awake by the time they made it back to their hotel room, so the wait wasn't an inconvenience.

"Are you ever going to say anything to Serena about how you feel?" Seth asked. Dean turned his attention away from the TV, to Seth. They were all dressed casually, in blue jeans and T-shirts, a far cry from the riot gear and the suits that were mandated by the WWE dress code.

"What?" He took a swig of beer. He could feel an unfamiliar burn radiate from his face.

"Don't play dumb, Dean. It's so obvious you've got it bad for Serena," Roman said with a snort.

"Oh, God, are we really going there, you guys…" Dean finished his bottle of beer and placed it on the coffee table. Seth nodded.

"Oh yeah, Dean; you're damn right we're going there," Seth told him with a grin. "I mean, Jesus, are you ever going to make a move? I'm amazed you didn't when it looked like Barrett was going to move in. For a guy who is normally so gutsy, you've sure lost your balls." Dean opened his mouth to speak, but he was cut off by the knocking on the door. It was Serena. He didn't even need to open the door to know it was Serena. With a sigh, he stood and walked to the door, stopping and turning to Seth and Roman.

"I'm not even fucking around, you guys. If you pull any of…_this_…with Serena in the room, I will kill you both where you stand," Dean threatened darkly. Seth and Roman laughed. Dean rolled his eyes and grunted as he walked to the door and flung it open.

Serena looked tired. She was dressed in her pajamas, in drawstring pants that were checkered black and hot pink. Her tank top was white. Dean noticed hot pink bra strap poking out. Her blue hair was tied back in a low ponytail. She walked into the room and flashed everybody a smile. "Hey, guys. Thanks for waiting. I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it," Dean told her with a smile as he closed the door behind her. Seth got up and got himself another beer. He offered one to Serena, but she turned him down, instead settling on a can of Pepsi. Seth handed it to her as she flopped down on the sofa. Dean sat down beside her.

"I wanted to book the tickets earlier, but am I the only one having issues with my Wi-Fi?" she asked. They shook their heads. "Okay, good. So how are we setting up hotel rooms? Should we partner up or should we get separate rooms? I know Dean likes to room by himself…I just want to know how I'm booking the hotel," she added when Dean shot her a look.

"Two to a room isn't a bad idea. Seth and I could room, and you and Dean could room," Seth suggested. Roman made a noise. Dean's head snapped around to Roman, shooting him a look of hellfire and brimstone. Seth had to turn his focus on the TV to keep himself from laughing. Serena was so focused on what she was doing that she didn't notice anything out of the ordinary with Dean, Seth and Roman.

"Does that sound like a good idea to you, Dean?" she asked. Roman had a grin on his face that spread from ear to ear. Dean nodded, unable to speak. "Great! We'll do it that way then…" Serena thought about logistics for a second. Her mouth opened in an 'O" shape. "That might not be a good idea. What if one of you guys picks up a girl while we're there? Is there a code for that? Maybe separate rooms would be a good idea…"

"What kind of guys do you take us for?" Dean snorted with a laugh. "Jesus. I'm getting another beer."

"That's not what I meant," Serena sighed. "I mean, I don't care what you guys do; it's your life. But I certainly don't want to be feeling awkward if I'm sharing a room with Seth and in the middle of the night he comes walking in carrying Cinderella over the threshold!"

Dean shook his head. "What?"

Roman covered his mouth, but still spit beer into his hand. He started laughing. Seth's face went bright red. Dean was standing still, the fridge open and a bottle of beer in his hand, trying to figure out what they were laughing about. "I obviously missed something this afternoon."

"You didn't miss anything," Seth assured him firmly, eyeing Serena. "She's just being a comedian."

"That was great," Roman told Serena, giving her a pat on the shoulder as he went into the bathroom to wash his beer-soaked hand. They could still hear his deep laughter resonating from the bathroom.

"I'm fine with whatever you guys want to do," Dean said. "But I certainly have no plans to be picking up Disney princess – or anything else, for that matter – while I'm there." Roman came out of the bathroom, drying his hands and nodding. He was still grinning. Seth was keeping his gaze on the television.

"Doing separate rooms' sounds fine," Seth said without looking at them. It wasn't until Serena made a sound that he looked at her, cocking a mischievous eyebrow. Serena raised her hands in mock surrender. "I'm just saying that we're always hanging around each other and we're going to be spending all our days together, too. I'm sure at some point we're all going to want some alone time."

"I get it. It works for me," Serena said. There was a beat. "It means a lot that you guys are doing this with me. Thanks, you guys. I'm really excited."

"I am, too," Seth said with a grin. Serena opened her mouth, but one look from Seth and she clamped her mouth shut. There was a kid-like quality to Seth that she found adorable. After surviving the fire that had gutted her cottage, Serena had feared that Seth's anger would lead him on a dark path. She worried that he was going to retreat into himself and become standoffish and sullen, the way that Wade had.

A familiar dark cloud of depression started to creep into her brain when she thought about the situation with Wade. She pushed the thought out and decided to focus on the good things going on in her life. She looked at Dean, who was sipping on his beer. He wasn't going to admit it, but Serena was pretty sure that he was excited to take the trip. She wondered if he was capable of getting excited about anything. He was so serious all the time. Serena was guilty of being the same way, so she didn't fault him for it. But she always noticed that he didn't smile often. She made it a personal mission to try and make him laugh and smile more. She would never tell him that, though.

"AJ was telling me that they do this fireworks show at the Magic Kingdom that involves Tinkerbell suspended in the air," Serena told them. She was silent for a moment. "I was thinking we should do the California Adventure Park, too? I read it's just across the way from the plain old Disneyland."

"We aren't going to the one in Florida?" Seth asked. Dean snorted.

"That would defeat the purpose of a vacation, wouldn't it?"

"Is going to California a big deal?" Serena asked. Seth shook his head.

"No. I guess I was just assuming we were staying in Florida," Seth said. "I don't really care where we're going."

"I had another idea…" Serena trailed off as Dean made a strange noise.

"How long are we going to be there, Serena? My God," Dean exclaimed, exasperated.

"Three or four days," Serena replied. "I was thinking we could hit Universal Studios, too. It's not that far from Disneyland. And they have Jurassic Park: The Ride…"

"I'm in," Seth said instantly.

"Me, too," Roman agreed. "Dean?"

"I already told Serena I'm hers to drag around," Dean told them. Roman opened his mouth and Dean shot him a look. Roman put up his hands and sipped his beer. "Where we go doesn't really matter. Just for the love of God, keep me away from the teacup ride." Serena laughed at the mental image she got of Dean, dressed in his Shield gear, sitting sullen in a teacup as kids around him had a ball. Dean looked up at the ceiling and shook his head. "Thanks, Serena. I know I can always count on you to take me seriously."

"And on that note, I'll make my exit. I need to get some sleep," Serena said. She leaned over and hugged him. He held onto her tightly, giving her an extra squeeze. "Should we meet in the morning for breakfast?"

"Sounds like a great plan. Let's not make it too early, though," Seth said.

"Ten work?" she asked, hugging Roman. They nodded in agreement. "Goodnight, guys. Sweet dreams."

"Bye, Serena," the echoed. She let herself out of the hotel room with a yawn and a wave. Seth turned to Dean.

"Don't even start," Dean said as soon as the door closed. "Both of you should leave. I need to get some sleep."


	10. Chapter 10

Serena tried to tune out the faint buzzing as she listened to the ringing on the other end of her cell phone. She was sitting with Roman. Serena felt a slight pinch and she sucked in a breath as she heard the familiar voice stumble through his words. Serena looked out the shop window at the bright sunlight and cocked an eyebrow in surprise. But her excitement quickly took over and she grinned.

"Dean, you're never going to believe this! They're dropping the lawsuit!"

Huh? Ohuh…What? Serena?"

At his home, Dean was still halfway trapped in the realm of sleep, face-down in his bed with the blankets up to his waist. In his blind grab for the phone, he had knocked his alarm clock off the nightstand and onto the floor. He rolled onto his side and stared at the slits of sunlight that invaded his room through the closed blinds. Sitting up, he picked up his clock off the floor and saw it was ten-thirty in the morning. Dean couldn't remember the last time he had slept so late. He flopped back onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling.

Serena looked over at Roman. Her face darkened. "Dean, are you there?"

"I'm here, Serena," he quickly assured her. She was sure he could hear the buzzing. "Where are you?"

"Just out running errands with Roman," Serena answered. "Anyway, Jerry met with the attorneys today. He said they were real parasitic ambulance chasers. You know - the kind you see on _Maury _with the eight hundred telephone numbers." She paused to take a breath. "Anyway, Jerry said they were hostile, so he was right in thinking that having me there would make things worse. Jerry's ace in the hole was he threatened to countersue the estate for the wrongful deaths of Shaun and the others, along with medical bills for injuries you, Roman, Seth and Wade suffered at their child's hands. He also threatened to sue them for defamation and harassment. I guess they had gave a few less-than-positive interviews about me to the press in Staten Island. Jerry really left no stone unturned."

"They can do all that?" Dean asked, yawning. Serena sucked in a breath. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine," she assured him. "Anyway, I guess after convening with their lawyer, they decided this isn't the way to go. Their son did way too much for them to come out unscathed in a countersuit." She breathed a deep sigh of relief. "I think it's over, Dean. I think it might actually be over."

"That's great, Serena," he yawned.

"When did you get to bed last night? You're never tired like this," she pointed out.

"To be honest, Serena, I don't even remember. I got caught up playing _Black Ops _with the guys last night." During their time off, sometimes they guys liked to do online co-op gaming. Everyone always wanted to be on Kofi Kingston's team because he was considered to be one of the best video game players on the roster. "Where are you? Are you busy today? I was thinking we could meet up for lunch or something."

"Lunch sounds great," Serena told him. "I should be done by then. Did you want to hit that bistro? You know the one that's by Seth's place? I haven't been there yet."

"It's good. That sounds great. Make it for twelve?"

"You know it. I'll see you then, Dean. Get yourself a cup of coffee," she teased.

"I'm way ahead of you," Dean told her. They said their goodbyes and hung up with each other.

"Thanks for coming with me, Roman," Serena told him. She looked down at the hot pink-haired tattoo artist working on her inner right wrist. "I didn't think this was something for Dean and Seth."

"No problem. I wanted to get my arm finished up," he told her. There was a black-haired kid working on completing Roman's sleeve. "You're handling your first tattoo very well. Are you hurting?"

"It's not that bad," Serena confessed. "I thought it was going to be a lot worse."

It only took an hour for Serena to get her tattoo finished. She watched as the tattoo artist, introduced to Serena as Libby, carefully cleaned the excess ink from her inner wrist. Roman was talking with his tattoo artist about a new movie he'd seen. Serena hadn't heard of it. She stayed until quarter to twelve, before paying for her tattoo, giving Roman a hug goodbye and taking off to meet Dean for lunch. Roman wasn't upset she had to cut their time short; he didn't expect Serena to spend an entire day sitting in a tattoo parlor with him while he got his arm inked.

Dean was already sitting in the bistro, sipping on a cup of coffee when Serena arrived. He stood and she hugged him. He hugged her tightly. "Hey, Serena," he greeted. They sat down and Dean noticed the clear wrap around her wrist. He cocked his head in the direction of her wrist. "What's that?"

"It's a tattoo," she told him. "Roman came with me. He's still getting his arm done."

"You did not get a tattoo," Dean said incredulously. Serena nodded.

"What did you get?"

"Just a word," she answered.

"Can I see it?" he asked. Serena nodded and pulled the plastic off. Dean peeled it back, staring at the red and puffy wrist. He saw the unmistakeable cursive of 'SURVIVOR'written on the inside of her wrist. He looked up at her and smiled. "Just so you never forget?" he asked. Serena nodded. He pulled his hand back and Serena fixed the wrapping. The waitress arrived and they ordered lunch. Serena waited until the waitress was out of earshot before she spoke.

"Don't you ever get tired of hanging out with me?" Serena asked.

"What? No," Dean told her. "I love every minute hanging out with you."

"I do, too," Serena confessed. "But lately I kind of feel like you don't have a life."

He laughed. "I have a great life," he told her. "It took a little while to get there, but it's great." There was a comfortable beat. He wondered why he couldn't just come out and say something. He opened his mouth to speak, but the waitress arrived with an iced tea for Serena. And just like that the nerve was gone. "I'm glad the lawsuit is behind you," he told her.

"Me, too; I was afraid this was going to last years and I'd be dragged through the mud all over again." She smiled. "We should split some cheesecake to celebrate. Would you be okay with that?"

"Absolutely," he told her with a smile. He stared out the window and sipped his coffee. While Serena chatted on and on about how strange it felt to get tattooed, Dean thought about imposing a deadline on himself, but he wasn't sure he could follow through. He knew at some point, he needed to tell Serena how he felt. He prided himself on being a ballsy individual, but she was definitely making him cautious.


	11. Chapter 11

Dean looked up from the book he was reading and stared over at Serena, who was seated beside him. She was fast asleep, her seat reclined, covered with a thin blue blanket the stewardess had brought her. She looked so peaceful. They had caught an early flight, but they still managed to run into a ton of fans at the airport. Serena was more than happy to take photos for the fans. There were a few girls that gave Serena the evil eye, which irritated Dean, but Serena didn't let it bother her. "They're just fan-girls," Serena told him with a laugh. "I've certainly been there."

They were thirty-seven thousand feet in the air now, on their way to Anaheim, California. Seth and Roman sat in the row behind them, their headphones in, their eyes glued to the in-flight movie. It was some horrendous Adam Sandler movie with a sappy plot. Dean had no interest; he was busy reading a book called _I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell_. It had been a Christmas present from Roman, but Dean hadn't gotten around to reading it. Roman looked at the title of the book and said he instantly thought of Dean. He stared at Serena for a few moments; smiling at how peaceful she looked before he returned to his book.

It was a five hour flight. Dean was pretty sure he could get the book read in that time. Serena obviously had plans of sleeping through the flight. She didn't sleep the night before. Dean knew that for a fact, since he didn't sleep, either. He was up texting with Serena the entire night. She was like a kid on Christmas Day, too excited to sleep. He thought it was adorable.

They had met at Serena's at four in the morning. Serena had coffee and breakfast ready for them. Her home was a revolving door for Dean, Seth and Roman, but Dean just about lived there. Serena never seemed to mind having him over. She made it very clear to him that her home was his home, and she was always prepared with a cup of coffee, snacks and an ear for his rants.

Through the entire flight, Serena slept. Roman and Seth spent the entire flight having fun at Dean's expense, giggling like schoolchildren in their seats when Dean would turn around and shoot them a deathly glare. When the plane was about to land, Dean gently started shaking Serena. She groaned, and slapped his hand away, turning her head to the other side. Dean grinned and kept shaking her until her light blue eyes opened. "Wake up, Sleeping Beauty – we're landing," he teased. A smirk started to tug at the corner of her mouth.

"I did not sleep the entire flight," she told him. Dean nodded. "Wow. What movie did they show?"

"_Just Go With It_," Seth told her. Serena made a face that made Dean snicker. She hated Adam Sandler.

"I can't believe I slept so much," she complained.

"You really can't?" Dean asked incredulously. "You were up all night texting me."

"Did you sleep?" she asked with a yawn. He shook his head. She looked down at the book on his lap. "You finally read it, did you? Roman can stop complaining now."

"I object to that," Roman told her. Serena and Dean shot each other a look, smiles splitting their faces.

When the plane landed, Seth and Roman stood. Serena got up and tried to fold the blanket as best she could, leaving it on the seat before venturing out into the aisle. Dean joined her, keeping a gentle hand on her spine as they got off the plane. Dean heard Seth whisper something to Roman. He shot Seth a look. Seth raised his hands in mock surrender.

Serena turned on her phone. She was surprised to find a text from Wade. Dean leaned over to her. "What's wrong?" he asked softly. Serena's eyes scanned over the message.

"Nothing," she answered. "Wade just wanted to say congratulations about the lawsuit being dropped."

"He's late to the party, is he?" Dean was surprised that Wade had sent a text, though.

"I really don't get what he wants," Serena confessed with a sigh, dropping her pink phone into her purse. "He needs his space and he ignores me while we're working, but then he's sending me text messages. I just don't know what's going on with him, Dean. Do you think it's Alicia?"

Dean snorted. "I think you're on vacation, and you should be having fun, not worrying about everyone else." He shook his head. "I told you, you should have left your phone at home."

They walked into the airport. A few people flocked to Dean, Seth and Roman, asking for autographs and pictures. Serena waited patiently while they took their photographs and signed WWE Magazines. It took them almost half an hour to get out of the airport. They decided to rent one car, since they were going to be spending their days together anyway. Serena rented a red Acura while Dean, Seth and Roman went to collect their luggage from the baggage claim.

"Don't think we didn't see you on the plane, you creeper," Seth teased.

"Seth, I'm seriously warning you…"

"You are so dragging it out," Roman accused. "What have you got to lose?"

"Can we not go into this with her at the rental place? She's in the goddamn vicinity," Dean snapped. He grabbed Serena's pink leopard print suitcase and grimaced. Seth opened his mouth to make a comment, but one look from Dean and he clamped his mouth shut. "That's what I thought," he replied, grabbing his bag. Turning on his heels, he stormed off towards the rental car area, where Serena was talking to the clerk.

Serena got the keys to the car and turned in time for Dean to approach. She smirked. "My bag is a good look for you," she teased. She reached out to grab it, but he assured her he could take it for her. She cocked an eyebrow. "Are you sure? I mean, you're walking around with a pink leopard print bag."

"It's just to the car. It's not a big deal," he assured her. Seth and Roman made it over to them. Serena noticed that Dean was tense. She shot a look to Seth and Roman, who shrugged. They followed Dean to the car. Serena's phone went off again. It was Wade. He wanted to call her later.


	12. Chapter 12

Serena yawned. It was ten, and everybody had gone back to their hotel rooms to get some rest after a huge dinner where Seth, Dean and Roman all took pot-shots at each other. Even though she had slept the entire flight, Serena was surprised to find that she was still tired. Dean was exhausted; she could see it in his eyes. She had felt a pang of guilt, knowing the entire reason he didn't sleep was because she had been texting him the night before. Serena couldn't help herself; she had been like a kid trying to sleep on Christmas Eve. She had been giddy and wide awake, and she needed somebody to be wide awake with. She had texted Dean because he had erratic sleep patterns like she did. Serena would never tell him he felt guilty about keeping him up all night. He never complained, either.

Serena sat back on the bed in her hotel room and rested her head against the headboard. She was watching TV, catching a cycle of CNN news. In the morning, they were all going to get together for breakfast and then take in the California Adventure Park before crossing back into Disneyland. She wanted to end the night with the fireworks at the Magic Kingdom. While Seth was over the moon ecstatic, Dean was keeping his reaction to Disneyland reserved the way he usually did. If he was having fun, she wouldn't know it.

Her cell phone rang. She looked at the number and sighed. She answered. "Hell, Wade."

'Hello, love. I just thought I'd touch base and see how you're doing."

She cocked an eyebrow, recalling the way he had told her he wanted space. She thought he had been kind of cold. She got off the bed and walked over to the sliding glass door that would lead onto the balcony. She stared out at the beautifully lit resort below. "I'm doing fine, Wade. How are you?"

"I'm doing a bit better than I have been," he confessed. There was a beat. "I started seeing someone."

"Oh."

"Yeah; I'm seeing a shrink once a week now," he told her. Serena blinked, realizing she had thought something completely different. She wasn't sure if it bothered her if Wade was dating someone. There had been whispers at work that Wade and Alicia were working out their problems, but Serena wasn't sure if it was true because he had been ignoring her. Serena was surprised to find she felt angry at Wade. There was a part of her that wanted to harden towards him, but she fought it off as best she could.

"How are the shakes?" she asked.

"They're fading," he told her. There was an awkward beat. "I'm sorry, Serena."

"What for?" she asked, sliding open the door and stepping onto the balcony.

"I've been kind of a bastard," he told her. She almost made a noise, but she caught herself just in time.

"You've been dealing with things," Serena said, enjoying the feel of the night breeze on her skin. "I can't fault you for it. We all survived a pretty hairy situation." The voice in her head was saying she should end the conversation, just cut him off and let him go back to the way his life was before.

"I wanted to ask if you wanted to meet up for a coffee. I know I owe you an apology over the way I've been acting lately. I just didn't want anybody to see me the way I've been."

"I would, but I'm actually not in Florida at the moment," she told him.

"Where are you?" he asked.

"I'm at Disneyland," Serena told him.

"That's right! I remember hearing Seth and Roman talking about that. I didn't realize you had it planned so soon," he told her. "How are you enjoying it down there?"

"So far, so good," she answered. "Everyone's gone to their rooms for the night to relax."

"When are you supposed to be coming back?" he asked.

"We'll be flying out for _Raw_ Monday. I wanted a couple days, but I don't see the point of flying home just to fly back out for _Raw_." She paused. "How are things with Alicia?"

"They're going all right. Between you and I, she wants to get back together, but I think we're better off friends." Serena didn't say anything. She was pretty sure Wade was very well aware of how she felt about Alicia Fox. There was another awkward beat. "I just wanted to call and tell you I'm sorry. God help me, I miss having you around."

"You're lying," she said with a laugh.

"You sell yourself short too much," he told her. "You're fantastic company. Just ask Dean."

"I'm not half as entertaining as he seems to think I am," she confessed, staring at her reflection in the mirror. She was starting to tire of the blue hair. She was thinking of another bright, vibrant color, but she wasn't sure which color to go with. "Does this mean that you don't 'need your space' anymore?" she asked.

"Serena…"

"I'm just asking. I'm not upset…okay, I'm a little upset. I just wish you were more direct with me."

"I'm sorry, Serena," he said for what felt like the billionth time to the both of them. "I'm working through it."

"We all are. I was just kind of hoping we could all get through it together. Like friends," she added. "I just wanted to be there for you, like you were there for me." She thought about the day she found out her tormentor had escaped from prison. She'd had a beautiful day with Wade. He had come out to stay with her for a few days because he had never been to Roselle Park. While the media had set up camp on her front lawn, she stood up in the attic with Wade and showed him her scars. It had felt like the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders.

"It's nice to see you got rid of the turtlenecks," he cracked. Serena smiled. She would have been lying if she said she still didn't feel self-conscious about all of her scars, but she was learning to live with it. "I'll let you go, love. I'm sure you're tired."

"I am. I shouldn't be; I slept the entire flight," Serena told him. He laughed.

"Flying is exhausting," he told her. She agreed. "Have yourself a good night. Sweet dreams, love."

"You, too," she told him. There was hesitation in her voice. They said their goodbyes and hung up. She put her phone down on the table and looked in the mirror. "What the hell just happened?" she asked her reflection incredulously.


	13. Chapter 13

**_I'm in such a good mood I thought I would give you all another chapter. Thanks for all the reviews and for reading. _**

* * *

Serena watched Dean closely. She had never seen him consume so much alcohol in the entire time she had known him. They were sitting at the restaurant after a day of rollercoasters and Cinderella stalking. But Seth had achieved his mission and had actually gotten Cinderella's number. It turned out Cinderella's brother was a wrestling fan. Serena couldn't believe it. Seth looked dumbstruck as she jotted her number down in his autograph book, while Roman and Serena giggled and Dean face-palmed. Later on, Serena had tried to buy Dean a Mickey Mouse helmet. He wore it for two seconds, but he ripped it off his head the second he heard Seth giggling.

It had been a fun day. Serena was pretty sure Dean was having fun, but he wasn't the type to outwardly show he was having a blast. At around three o'clock they crossed into the regular Disneyland attraction. They went on the Haunted Mansion ride. Seth and Roman took one of the carts. Roman was so tall he could barely fit in it. Serena and Dean took another cart that was at least two away from Seth and Roman. Dean was thankful; he was starting to become annoyed by their constant teasing. It had been an awkward ride, since it broke down while they were moving backwards on a slant down what was supposed to be a stairwell. Dean couldn't hide his annoyance at the voice that constantly admonished them to "stay in their dune buggies". The angrier Dean got, the more Serena giggled.

When night fell, they joined the crowd at the Magic Kingdom and watched Tinkerbell in the sky. She set off a fireworks show that Serena could only describe as spectacular. Dean wouldn't have known; the entire time he watched Serena, who was so transfixed on the fireworks that she didn't notice he was practically gawking at her. Seth and Roman were pointing at Dean and whispering, but Serena couldn't hear over the loud popping and the cheering crowd.

After the fireworks, they decided to have a late dinner before going back to their hotel rooms. That's when the drinking had started. Seth started it by ordering shots. Then the beer started flowing. Dean was already blitzed. Serena could tell; his eyes had taken on that hazy, far-off look. But she was relieved he kept a glass of water beside his plate and he was eating. Seth and Roman were watching Dean closely; they weren't used to seeing him drunk. In all the time they'd known each other, they could count on one hand the number of times Dean had been completely off his rocker drunk. It was very seldom.

Serena checked her phone. It was well after eleven. She had told Dean about the phone call she had with Wade the night before. He reiterated that she really should have left the phone at home. His distaste for Wade was starting to become obvious to Serena, but she was afraid to ask him his opinion because she knew he would let her have it. Even if Wade and Dean were becoming disdainful of each other, Serena still considered them both friends. She didn't want to be caught in their crosshairs if they ever were to come to blows.

After she finished her dinner, Serena ordered a piece of strawberry cheesecake and some tea for dessert. The more and more Dean drank, the quieter he became. Serena shot looks at Seth and Roman, but one look and she knew they didn't know what was wrong with him, either.

"I hate to cut this short, you guys, but I need my beauty sleep," she told them with a laugh. She paid for her dinner and stood. She gave Dean a pat on the shoulder. "Take it easy, Dean, or you're going to be feeling it in the morning. Universal Studios tomorrow, you guys?" she asked. They nodded. She moved over to Seth and Roman and leaned down between them. "Keep an eye on him," she whispered. "Make sure he gets back to his room safe."

"Of course," Seth whispered back. Serena shot Dean a concerned look before she made her way back to the hotel. Seth and Roman watched as Dean finished his glass of beer. "What are you doing, Dean?"

"Drinking," he informed them matter-of-factly. "What does it look like?"

"I know you're drinking. Why are you drinking?"

"'Cause I feel like it," he told them. Seth shook his head.

"We're going to get nowhere," he told Roman.

"Barrett's been calling her," he told them. Seth and Roman nodded. He poured himself another glass of beer, emptying the pitcher. Seth and Roman couldn't believe how much Dean had. They wondered if he was going to fall down the second he stood. "I was hoping I'd have more time," he murmured.

"How much more time do you need? Eternity?" Seth snorted.

"Good one," Roman said, holding up his hand for a high five. Dean made a sound of indignation as Seth and Roman shared a high-five at his expense. "Do you think Barrett's interested in her? I mean, for Christ's sakes, he cut her off." Dean nodded.

"Of course he is. Why else do you think he was such a pussy about telling her he needed space?" Dean spat. A mother sitting with her daughter turned and stared at them. Seth felt himself flush bright red with embarrassment. "He didn't want to hurt her feelings. He likes her. Is it normal for somebody to be so fucking oblivious?"

"Who are we talking about now?" Roman asked. He had a good buzz going, but he was nowhere near as drunk as Dean. Neither was Seth.

"Serena! Does she not notice anything?"

"Well, in all fairness, Dean, she's been focusing on getting herself back together," Seth reminded him. Dean nodded thoughtfully. "Let me ask you something, Dean: if Wade had hooked up with Serena, were you being honest when you said you'd stand back and let her be happy?"

"Probably not," Dean hiccuped. If they thought he was straightforward before…

"Why haven't you said anything yet?"

"Because she's going to shut me down and I'm gonna look like an asshole," he told them.

"What do you care? You know rejection better than we do," Seth told him.

"It's Serena," Roman reminded him. Dean and Seth nodded.

"Seriously, Dean, you've dragged this out for way too long. You need to talk to her at some point and get it out. Because if you don't, someone else is going to swoop in, and we're not going to feel the least bit sorry for you," Seth informed him matter-of-factly. Dean looked to Roman, who nodded.

"Oh, I see how it is," he told them. Seth and Roman struggled to contain their snickers. Dean stood. He stumbled and almost ended up back down in his chair, but he steadied himself. "I'm outta here."

"Where do you think you're going?" Seth laughed.

"I'm going to talk to Serena," Dean told them matter-of-factly. "I'm not a pussy."

"Oh, God, you have got to be kidding me," Seth said. Roman was dying of laughter. "Dean, you are not."

"I am," he insisted, dropping his money on the table. Roman handed it back to him.

"I got this. Give the money back to Serena." Dean nodded. "I'm going."

"Then go," Seth challenged. Roman couldn't stop laughing.

"I'm gone." But Dean's body and brains weren't connecting with the commands. He still stood in front of them, swaying like a frail tree in the wind.

"What are you doing?" Seth asked, exasperated. Roman's head was down on the table. The waitress passed. Roman raised his head and asked for another pitcher of beer.

"I'm going," Dean reiterated firmly, prompting Roman to laugh harder. He took a small step. When he was certain he could move without falling over, Dean walked away, muttering under his breath.

"Jesus Christ, poor Serena," Roman laughed.

"What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall for _this _conversation," Seth agreed.


	14. Chapter 14

"Dean…"

He staggered into Serena's hotel room and then turned to her. She closed the door. "No. No." He pointed at her. She stared at him, her face a mixture of confusion and fascination. She had come out of the shower to hear him pounding on the door. Seth and Roman were nowhere to be seen. She reminded herself to have a good talk with him in the morning because they promised they would see him back to his room. Obviously, they had failed. Dean had kept up the knocking until she answered the door. The entire time he had pounded, the voices in his head were dueling. One voice told him that he shouldn't be at her hotel room door, ready to spill his guts. The voice told him that Serena was unattainable. The other voice, however, told him that it was worth a try. He was too drunk to listen to either, let alone second-guess his liquid courage strategy. He figured if he had any balls, he would have said something at the fireworks display. He'd never seen her so captivated by something. Her smile was genuine, and it was beautiful. After all the time he had been spending with her as of late, he knew it would be a mistake for anybody else to have her. "I'm going to talk now, and you can't interrupt me.

"I'm going to talk now, and you're not going to interrupt me. Promise me you won't interrupt me," Dean repeated, his tone firm. He could smell the body wash she used and was instantly distracted. He stepped to her, grabbing her by the shoulders. "You smell nice," he informed her.

"You smell like a brewery," she pointed out. Dean completely disregarded her observation.

"Promise me you won't interrupt me," he slurred. He tightened his grip.

"I promise – you're hurting me!" He let go of her as if she were made of fire.

"I'm so sorry," he apologized. He stumbled away from her, turning back to point. "But you promise?"

"I promise," she told him, holding her hands up in mock surrender. There was a long silence. She watched him sway around her hotel room. He bumped into an end table. Serena rushed to keep the lamp from falling to the floor, but it hit the carpet. She knelt down to pick it up and that's when he spoke.

"Serena, you're fucking awesome." He drew out the word "awesome". Serena blinked.

"Um…thanks?"

In his drunken state, Dean was agitated that she didn't understand his vague statement. "Are you always so fucking _blind_?" he demanded. Serena was a little stung by the language, but she knew he was drunk. He was so drunk that she pondered if he would remember any of this in the morning. "Serena, you're fucking amazing. I've always known that. I don't know if you know that, but I know it. _I know it_."

Serena leaned against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest. She was speechless and it was getting late. "I'll admit; I got a little jealous when you and Barrett started talking. He's infatuated with you, you know. But he doesn't love you as much as I do. You don't know it, but he can't. He just can't. And I think_ he _knows it." He nodded his head vehemently. "You've been through so much, and I just want to be with you all the time. I want to keep you safe. It's my job, even if you don't see it that way. It's my job to keep you safe." There was a beat.

"The night you got drugged, and I saw that fucker dragging you out of the parking lot…I didn't want to just hit him. I wanted to _kill _him. I wanted to smell blood, Serena. I felt his face collapse right under my fist, and I didn't care. I still don't. I saw you struggling, and I saw red. Honest to God, _red_."

"Sweet Jesus…" she murmured under her breath.

"You said you wouldn't interrupt," he slurred. There was a beat, a long, thick silence. Dean tripped over the coffee table, but used the surface to keep himself standing. "I'd do anything for you, Serena. Do you know that?" Serena nodded. "Do you really know that? Say it."

"I know that. Dean, you're drunk…"

"I'm fucking _smashed_, beautiful," he told her, approaching her. He touched her face, reveled at the feeling of her hair beneath his fingertips. His fingers ran down her neck, running over the scar on her neck. His eyes softened. He looked into her eyes. His lips were dangerously close to hers. Serena felt her every nerve standing on end. "Am I scaring you right now?"

"You don't scare me, Dean. I don't think I could ever be afraid of you," she managed. He smiled.

"Good. Good." He turned away. "Good, good. I don't ever want you to be afraid of me." There was another beat. Serena studied him; he looked rough.

"Dean, where are Seth and Roman?"

"They're still drinking. They told me I didn't have the balls to do this."

"To do what?" she asked. Dean ran his hand through his hair.

"Have you not listened to anything I've said?" Dean demanded. "Serena, I want to be with you! _I…want…to…be…your boyfriend! _Jesus, I don't think I can be any clearer than that!" he exclaimed. She sucked in a breath. She realized it was why she never saw him with any other women outside of work. He made a sound, and he gripped the wall to stay standing. He looked up at her. His eyes looked lost; she recognized the look. She had seen it in her own eyes more than she wanted to admit. "I need you."

"Dean, you're drunk…"

"Don't. I know I'm drunk. It's the only way I could get this out. You make me nervous. I hate it, but I love it…" Dean made the sound again and he doubled over. Serena approached quickly, her face a mask of concern.

"Dean, are you okay?"

"No. I'm pretty sure I'm going to get sick," he confessed. "I had too many shots." Serena also wanted to bring up all the beer, but she kept her mouth shut. He started to heave. She grabbed Dean gently by the arm and led him into the bathroom. He barely made it before collapsing in front of the toilet and emptying his stomach. Serena looked up at the ceiling and pondered if God was having such a slow night that he had to torture her. The night had crossed into surreal territory. Dean had gone from confessing his darkest feelings to professing his love for Serena to throwing up. Serena put her head in her hand and tried her damnedest not to laugh. Serena walked into the bathroom and sat on the edge of the tub, stroking Dean's hair sympathetically as he heaved violently. It sounded painful.

"Leave me be," Dean told her.

"No dice," she told him. He felt clammy. She ruffled his hair gently while he was sick. Dean would have been more appreciative of the feel of her hands in his hair if he weren't throwing up in her hotel room. He was definitely regretting the liquid courage strategy. When he was finished, he sank back, leaning against the bathtub. His head rested on Serena's leg. She ruffled his hair soothingly. "Are you feeling any better?"

"Not really," he admitted. "I still feel like throwing up."

"Well, I'm certainly not leaving you unsupervised tonight," she told him. She helped him to his feet. He buckled. She led Dean to her bed and tucked him in. He struggled. She forced him to stay still. "I'll be right back. Don't you move a muscle," she told him. She went into the kitchenette area and found a big pot, in case he got sick again. She went back to the room and put it on the night stand beside him. He was half-asleep already, his eyelids becoming heavy.

"Serena, I meant what I said," he told her. She put a hand on his cheek.

"We'll talk in the morning, okay? When you're sober and feeling a bit better." He nodded. "Get some rest, all right?" Dean nodded. Serena sat with him until he fell asleep, which didn't take long. She studied him, trying to make sense of what was going on.

She hadn't thought much about dating since Shaun died. They weren't in a full-on, committed relationship, but they were involved. She considered him her boyfriend. Serena knew it was naïve to think that nobody would ever be interested in her again. She stared down at Dean and smiled.

There was a knock on the door. Dean made a noise, but didn't open his eyes. She went to the door and opened it up. It was Seth and Roman. She got her key card and went out into the hallway. "Nice going seeing him back to his hotel room, you guys," Serena chastised. "I have no idea how he even made it to my room."

"He actually made it to you, did he?" Roman said with a chuckle. "We didn't think he would."

"What did he say to you?" Seth asked. "Did he say anything?"

"Oh yeah, and then some," Serena confessed. She studied their faces. "How long have you known?"

"A long time," Seth confessed. Roman nodded. "I think we knew before Dean did."

"So what are you going to do?" Roman asked.

"Nothing right now," she told him. "I'm not going to talk about anything serious when he's blitzed like this. I'd invite you in, but he's sleeping right now.

"Are you okay, Serena?" Seth asked. Serena nodded.

"I'll be fine," she assured him. "I've faced a lot scarier."

"What are you going to do?" Seth asked. "I mean, you feel the same way he does, right?"

"Of course I do," Serena told him. "I just haven't thought about that part of my life in a long time."

"Well, Dean's going to make you think about it," Seth chuckled.

"Go easy on him when he wakes up," Roman laughed.

"You guys are terrible."

"In our defense, we didn't think he'd make it to your door," Seth told her. "We were pretty sure he was going to chicken out and head back to his room." Serena sighed.

"You guys promised to make sure he got around okay. He's so drunk," Serena told them. "He's already gotten sick." Seth and Roman were surprised; they thought Dean could handle all that liquor. He wasn't the type to drink until he was sick. There was a beat. "I should get back in there and keep an eye on him."

"Serena…"

"I love you guys both, but until I talk to Dean, I can't really say anything else. It isn't fair to him if I did that," she told them. They nodded. She hugged them both and chastised them once more for letting him walk to her hotel room drunk. She watched them go back to her room and she went back inside.

Serena walked to the bedroom. Dean was lying on his side. She was thankful. Serena watched him sleep. He didn't even look at peace when he slept. He was the bravest person she knew, but she knew it was a shell he created. Dean wasn't the type to talk about his feelings. "No wonder you had to get drunk," she said softly to him. He didn't acknowledge her. She sighed. "Oh, Dean, what am I going to do with you?"

She went into the living room area and settled down on the couch. Her cell phone vibrated. She looked at it. It was Wade. _Hey, love. How are you doing_? Serena sighed. "Could this night get any better?" she asked herself. Serena remembered what Dean had told her about Wade. She didn't see it because of his hot and cold behavior. But she also knew the guys were more privy to know certain things that she wouldn't know anything about.

Serena thought about her time in the hospital after she had survived in the woods. She had been in shock, having nightmares, scratched up, bruised and injured. Dean refused to leave her side. He had injuries of his own, but he didn't care. He wouldn't leave her side. She knew she would never forget it as long as she lived.


	15. Chapter 15

_**Forgive the lateness of the post. I'm on my weekend, but I've got a friend out. While I'm waiting for her to wake up, I thought I'd get this posted. **_

* * *

Dean awoke with a splitting headache. His tongue felt like sandpaper. A wave of nausea crashed within him. He shut his eyes and took deep breaths in hopes that it would pass. Opening his eyes again, the initial disorientation of awakening disappeared and he realized that he never made it back to his hotel room. He was asleep in Serena's hotel room; he could see her dresses hanging neatly in the closet. The clock on the nightstand said it was just after four in the morning. His eyes rested on the two Advil tablets, the glass of water and the giant pot on the nightstand. Serena had thought of everything. In spite of his pain and misery, he smiled.

His smile faded quickly when the floodgates opened and the memories of the night before came back to him. Dean felt the red-hot burn of embarrassment. He clapped a hand over his face. "Jesus Christ," he murmured under his breath. "Shit. No, no, no…"

He pulled back the blankets. The world still felt like it was unsteady. Dean put a hand to his head and groaned as he walked out of the room, into the darkened living room area. Serena was asleep on the hide-a-bed. Another wave of nausea rippled through him. He was pretty sure he had more of his stomach to empty. It was going to be a long day. He took a step further into the dark room and stubbed his toe on the end table. He hit it hard. The lamp shook, threatening to fall off the table the way it had last night. "Mother…" Dean clamped his mouth shut and tried to let the pain and nausea pass. Serena stirred. She rolled over and awoke.

"Dean? What time is it?" she asked with a yawn.

"It's only quarter after four," Dean told her. There was a beat. "I was just going to head back to my room."

"Stay," she told him gently. He felt a lump form in his throat. Dean wondered how he could even face her now. As if she could sense his hesitation, her words became firm. "I'm serious, Dean. Sit."

With a sigh, he sat down beside her on the hide-a-bed, swinging his feet onto the bed and resting himself against the back of the couch. Serena turned on the TV, coming to a stop on a music channel that was actually playing music, to their surprise. They were silent for a long time. They didn't know what to say to each other, how to even broach the subject of what happened only hours before.

"Serena, I…" Dean clamped his mouth shut. They were silent again for what felt like an eternity. "I really don't know what to say."

"You and me both, if it's any consolation," she told him. They fell silent. Serena noticed it was an uncomfortable silence. "I don't even know how to talk about this with you, so I guess we'll start with the obvious: how are you feeling this morning?"

"I am so hung over," he told her. She nodded.

"That's what I figured."

"I'm sorry about last night." She laughed.

"You have nothing to be sorry about," she told him. "I mean, you can't help the way you feel can you?"

"No. No, I guess I can't." He rubbed a sore spot on his forehead. "I feel like a total ass. How many shots did I even have, Serena?"

"Too many, evidently," she answered. "Don't even get me started about all the beer you had. I'm amazed you even made it to my room by yourself." They both laughed awkwardly.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I thought you were kind of cute in your drunken state."

"Oh yeah?" he said with a bit of a nervous chuckle. Serena felt herself blush, but she laughed it off. He shook his head. "There's no pretending last night didn't happen, is there?"

"Oh, not on your life, Mr. Ambrose," she said, shaking her head vehemently. "Did you want to forget about it?"

"No," he confessed. "I meant every word of it."

"I didn't doubt that last night," she told him. They fell silent. A solid five minutes passed.

"So what should we do about this?" he asked her.

"You're seriously asking me?" she said with an twinge of incredulity in her voice. "My God, Dean, I haven't been with anyone in almost two years!"

"God, this is awkward," Dean lamented. The Advil was starting to kick in, fading the pain to a dull throb.

"What did you have envisioned?" she asked.

"I don't know. But the awkwardness wasn't part of the plan." He ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know. Maybe when we get home, I can take you out or something." Serena looked at him and smirked.

"Dean Ambrose, are you asking me out on a date?"

"Yeah, but just because I don't think I got my point across last night," he told her.

"Oh, you made it more than clear," she informed him with an edge of laughter in her voice. There was a beat. She sighed. "I think we could do that, Dean. I think I would like that." She turned to him. That strand of hair was still in his face. One day she was sure it would stay in place.

"You would?"

"Of course I would. There are worse people I could be spending my time with, you know," she told him. He could see her eyes sparkle. Dean thought about putting an arm around her shoulder and drawing her close, but he felt awkward. Serena looked just as uncomfortable, trying to hide it behind her shaky smile.

"What are you thinking, Serena?" he asked. "You can't hide anything from me."

"What happens if this doesn't work out? Is it going to get awkward?"

"I don't know," he confessed. "I don't think so. I've always just wanted you to be happy, Serena, even if it's not with me. Though I'd really like it to be with me," he added, running a hand through his hair. "Jesus, this is awkward."

Serena didn't know what to say, he could tell. She just nodded. He reached over and put his hand over hers. She studied his hung-over face. She knew her eyes were full of apprehension, but there was nothing but certainty in Dean's eyes. But she trusted him. He was her best friend.


	16. Chapter 16

Serena stared at the text message on her cell phone. _Hey, love, how are you doing?_

She had meant to answer the night before, but with the event involving Dean Ambrose, Serena hadn't been in a mood to entertain Wade's hot and cold behavior. She wondered what he wanted from her. She had gone out of her way to give him space when he wanted it, but it felt like as soon as she gave him space, he wanted her back in his inner circle. There was this feeling within her that she just couldn't win when it came to Wade Barrett. She planned on having a talk with him when she got back to _Raw_, to find out where she was supposed to stand while he was dealing with the issues the Slasher had left him with. She still considered him a good friend, but being pushed away with one hand and brought closer with the other was frustrating to her.

At around five-thirty, even though she tried to stay awake, Serena fell back asleep. When she woke up at nineteen after eight, Dean was gone. She knew he had gone back to his room. He was embarrassed.

The idea of moving on with somebody was strange. She didn't think there was going to be anybody she would be completely comfortable with. Serena blushed as she thought about the day in the attic where she had stood in her bra, showing Wade her scars while the reporters banged on her front door and set up camp on the lawn. She had thought that was a moment that should have bonded them forever. Wade was the first person she had ever revealed her scars to. Now, their friendship was marred by confusion and probably a little resentment. But Serena was done lamenting about having an abnormal life. Complaining about it never did her any good.

Serena wondered if she was being selfish, being resentful of Wade's attitude. She remembered what she was like after surviving the first time; the nightmares, the tremors and the irritability. Seeing Wade in the same boat made Serena feel helpless. What hurt was that he had made it seem like everything was still normal while she recovered at the hospital, only to forget about her once he was released.

_Good_, she texted back. _Sad the vacation is almost over_. She dropped the phone on the hide-a-bed and sighed. The idea of dating again was awkward, but she knew she had to leave her past behind her. Serena supposed she shouldn't have been surprised that Dean would have feelings for her; after all, they had been attached at the hip for a long time, it seemed like. Her thoughts traveled to the night before, to Dean, who was drunk and aggravated with his feelings and with her cloud of oblivion. How long had he had those feelings?

The phone vibrated again. _Did you get the mouse ears?_

Serena smiled. _We all have_, she typed. _Seth won't stop wearing his_.

She looked at the clock. Everybody was supposed to meet for brunch at ten. She thought about Seth and Roman stopping at her hotel room the night before. They had known. She had no idea how long they had known for, but they knew how Dean felt. She knew how she felt. Serena knew that she was like two peas in a pod with Dean, the two of them enduring less-than-ideal conditions and coming out of it all right. But there was that little voice in the back of her head that said she didn't deserve to move on with her life. She was unsure if the feeling would ever disappear. Survivor's guilt; instead of moving on and living for the both her and Shaun, she felt guilty to live.

The phone vibrated again. _Wish I was there. It sounds like fun_.

_It's hard not to have fun with the guys_, she replied. She put the phone down and got off the hide-a-bed to get ready for the brunch. She settled a plain white sundress with a snug bodice and a skirt that fell to the knees. She tied her blue hair back into a high ponytail and added a clear gloss to her lips. She could hear the phone vibrating on the hide-a-bed. Serena wondered what was going on between Alicia and Wade, if she knew he was texting her. It wasn't exactly a secret that Serena and Alicia disliked each other. Serena picked up her phone.

_Do you think we can talk when you get back?_

Serena nodded, scrunching her face. It was like he could read her mind. _Of course_, Serena texted, thankful that she didn't have to seek him out and pull him away on Monday. She hated creating scenes. _I have to go, though. I'm supposed to meet everyone for a brunch. _Serena decided to leave her phone in the room. Her vacation time was her time to spend with her friends, not to worry about what was going on back at the WWE locker room. She knew Dean was right, that she should have left the phone behind, but she needed it in case someone needed to get in touch with her. But ultimately, she knew Dean was right.

Sliding on her white flat sandals, Serena grabbed her key card and her purse and went to the elevator. She felt uncomfortable in her skin, but she pushed it aside. The elevator took her down to the main area, where she crossed into the outdoor restaurant. She was surprised to find Dean wasn't at the table. Seth spotted her and beamed, waving her over. Serena moved through packed area, sliding into a chair beside Seth. "Good morning, guys."

"Hey, Serena," Roman greeted. "How are you?"

"I'm probably in a lot better shape than Dean is," she answered. "I'm surprised he's not here yet."

"Be honest with us: how bad was he last night?" Seth asked. Serena blinked.

"He wasn't bad at all. Just very drunk and very candid," Serena told him.

Roman looked up and spotted Dean standing outside the door. He had changed into a baggy white T-shirt and blue jeans, looking like he had just had a shower. His hair was wet and combed back. It was very obvious Dean was suffering from a monumental hangover; sunglasses covered his eyes.

Dean scanned the crowd for any sign of Seth, Roman and Serena. The hot shower he had did nothing to squash the miserable feeling his hangover provided. He found his scar was itchy this morning. The doctor didn't tell him anything about nerve pain that accompanied his injury. Serena said it could last anywhere from a few months to a few years, his never-ending reminder that he had thrown himself in front of a serial killer's knife to protect Serena. The scariest part of the situation was Dean knew he'd do it again in a heartbeat. He thought about Serena; talking to her had done very little to nix the nervousness that was renting the space in the pit of his stomach. She had her reservations, he knew, because they were the same reservations he had.

He spotted Seth, Roman and Serena in the sea of family faces. Seth and Roman didn't look half as rough as Dean did. He approached slowly. Seth slapped Roman's arm absently and they looked at Dean as he approached. "Not a fucking word," Dean growled at them sharply, sitting down beside Roman. He ordered a coffee from a passing waitress. Everything hurt, from his head to his hip to his toes.

"Jesus, you look rough," Seth observed.

"Thanks for the newsflash, Anderson Cooper," Dean informed him, his tone irritable. "Jesus Christ, why did you two assholes let me drink so much?"

"Oh yeah, because we really could have stopped you," Roman snorted. Dean sighed.

"Fair enough," he conceded. He looked at Serena. She looked angelic in white. She shot him a comforting smile. She was relieved when he smiled back at her, but the awkwardness between them was palpable at the table.

"How did things go last night?" Roman asked.

"Shut up," Dean said tersely. Serena looked at Seth, who was giggling.

"Don't leave us out of the loop," Seth pleaded. "Are you guys…you know…?"

There was a long, awkward beat between the four of them. Dean wasn't sure what to say. The waitress arrived with his coffee. He thanked her, his words quiet as she walked away from the table. Dean sipped his coffee and closed his eyes, trying to keep his headache at bay. Everything was irritating him.

"We're testing the waters," Serena said. Dean shot her a thankful stare that Serena couldn't see beneath the sunglasses. But she could feel it. She shot him a reassuring look that wordlessly told him she could handle the questions. Dean could see that there was something going on with her. He wondered if it had to do with Wade Barrett back at home.


	17. Chapter 17

Dressed in a Barrett Barrage T-shirt and red trunks, Wade Barrett walked into the trainer's room and spotted her right away. He was fresh off a title defense, besting his NXT mentor Chris Jericho to retain his title. The white Intercontinental Championship was slung over his right shoulder. There was a small amount of blood on the tape of his right hand, compliments of his literal smash-mouth style. Chris was going to be feeling it for a few days.

Serena was dressed in a black long-sleeved V-neck T-shirt and denim shorts that did nothing to hide her scars. Wade had noticed over the past few months that Serena's attitude about her scars had changed; she now wore them as badges of courage and not an insignia of shame. She had her back to him, her blue ponytail doing nothing to hide the '8' shaped scar on the back of her neck. She was stretching out Randy Orton's shoulder, the two of them laughing and talking about Disneyland and Randy's daughter. It was rare to see Randy smile and laugh, but Wade knew Serena was special. For as big of a jerk as Randy could be, he never took it out on Serena. He knew better.

Wade approached, readjusting the title on his shoulder. "Can we talk, love?"

Serena turned. He was so close she crashed into his chest. He smiled. She looked into his eyes. They were warm and welcoming, a hint of the old Wade Barrett she knew before he had been put in peril. She was happy to see him smiling. Behind her, Randy Orton scowled at Wade, his beady eyes narrowed to almost non-existent proportions. Serena nodded.

"Sure thing, Wade," she told him, "Just let me finish up with Randy and then I'm all yours." There was a beat. "Did you want to meet at your locker room in, say, ten minutes?"

"That sounds great," Wade told her. "I'll meet you there."

"Great." Wade left. Serena turned back to Randy Orton.

"What a dick," he observed.

"You sound just like Dean," Serena said with a laugh as she started massaging the tension out of his right shoulder. She had stretched him out to the brink of pain. Randy sucked in a breath. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it," Randy told her. "Compared to what you've been through, I'm just being a bitch." She stepped back so he could move his arm. He was pleased with the mobility. "How have you been doing? I mean, besides the Disneyland trip."

"I'm doing all right," she answered. "I'm just trying to get back to normal. Whatever the hell that is."

"I think you're doing great considering," he told her. She went to massage the tension out of his left shoulder. "I've been hearing some rumors back here about you and Dean Ambrose." Serena looked at him, her expression taking on that of confusion. "You know, that you two are dating."

"Where did you hear that?"

"It's not true?"

"I didn't say that, but where did you hear that? Let me guess…AJ." They said her name in unison. Serena had texted AJ when she got home to tell her they were testing the waters. Serena sighed. "I love that girl to death, but my God, she's absolutely terrible at keeping secrets."

"Was it supposed to be a secret?" he asked.

"Not really, I guess," Serena admitted. "I just don't want people to make a big deal."

"I won't," Randy assured her. "I'm just surprised. He's kind of…"

"We're a lot alike, so you might want to be careful with what you say next," she teased. She let go of his left arm and he moved it around. He looked at the scar on her neck. She knew where his eyes were. "It's not painful anymore."

"I'm glad to hear that. I'll let you go have your meeting," Randy said with a roll of his eyes. He got off the trainer's table and gave her a hug. "Thanks for the stretch."

"Anything to get my hands on you," she teased. Randy laughed.

"I have to watch out for you," he said. He winked and she laughed. He left and she cleaned up her area. She turned to Dr. Rios, who was busy working with Nikki Bella, who hurt her ankle during her match against Kaitlyn earlier on in the night. Serena wished she could feel sorry for Nikki, who had tormented her with her twin sister Brie and their friends Alicia and Rosa.

"Ferdinand, I'm just going to take my break now that we have a lull," she told him. He nodded and she left the room. Nikki's whines of pain followed behind her, but Serena ignored it.

Serena walked down the hall towards Wade's locker room. On her way, she ran into Punk, AJ and Dean. AJ spotted her almost right away and waved her over. She looked in the direction of Wade's locker room and decided he could wait another minute or two while she said a quick hello to her friends, to her potential new boyfriend and best friend. Dean draped an arm around her and gave her a quick hug. She felt herself blush; AJ and Punk were both watching her intently. "Hey, Serena," Punk said to her with a small salute. Serena smiled.

"Hi, guys. What are you three up to?"

"Nothing good, I assure you," Punk promised her. She laughed.

"Glad to hear that."

"Taking your break?" AJ asked. Serena nodded.

"Yeah; I figured now would be a good time for it. Wade wants to talk to me, so I figured I'd go get this over with now." Dean stiffened beside her. It wasn't lost on any of them. She looked at Dean. "I'll see you later?"

"You know it," he told her. She hugged him, bidding the others goodbye before she took off down the hall. She made it to Wade's locker room. She knocked.

"Come on in, love," she heard through the other side of the door. She pushed the door open. Wade was already changed into a pair of jeans and his zip-up grey hoodie. The title was on a steel chair. Serena closed the door behind her and crossed her arms over her chest. "Hello, Serena. You look great. The vacation agreed with you."

"Thanks," she told him. There was a beat. "What's going on?"

"I've just missed having you around," he told her. She rolled her eyes involuntarily.

"You told me you needed space," Serena told him incredulously. "I've only been doing what you wanted." She looked at him. There was an awkward beat between the two of them. "How are the tremors?"

"They're finally gone," Wade told her. "Thank God. I could hardly do anything."

"I'm sorry for everything," she offered. Wade dismissed her apology with a wave of his hand.

"It's not your fault, love. I've always known it wasn't your fault, but that little voice inside my head. I know I don't have to tell you about that." She nodded. "I had every intention of calling you when I got out of the hospital, really I did. But after I was released and I got home and I had time to myself, love, I just couldn't. I've just been so angry. Everyone's had to see me with these bloody shakes and hear me with that cough.

"It's not your fault, Serena, but I just needed time to clear my head."

"I understand. I just wish you were a little upfront with me instead of alternating between holding me at arm's length and just outright treating me like I didn't exist." She felt the familiar wave of resentment welling up inside her again, but she didn't want to let it out. "I've just been worried about you."

"You don't need to worry about me, love," Wade assured her. "I'm quite all right." There was a moment of silence. "How was your vacation?"

"Good. It was nice just getting away for a while."

"I heard something interesting about your trip…"

"You and the rest of the WWE locker room," Serena told him, crossing her arms over her chest.

"What's going on with you and that miserable tosser?"

"I don't know. We're just seeing where things go," she told him. The fact that he was using derogatory names on Dean wasn't lost on her, but she wasn't sure she was ready to open that can of worms yet. She thought about what Dean had told her in her hotel room, that he was infatuated with her. There was a part of her that suspected the text messages while she was at Disneyland was a way of keeping tabs on her while she was on vacation with Dean and the guys, but she brushed them off. She didn't want to believe Wade would be like that.

"He's not right for you. He's so bloody miserable all the time. Mark my words – he's no good for you, Serena."

"What are you, my father?" Serena asked him incredulously. "Jesus, I barely hear from you anymore and you're back to seeing Alicia, but you're telling _me _who I should be seeing? Sheesh, I'd be more offended if I weren't so dumbstruck."

"I'm not seeing Alicia. We tried, but it didn't work out," he told her. He looked up at her.

"I'd tell you I'm sorry to hear that, but I know you'd know I'm lying," Serena told him. He smirked.

"Serena, I'm being serious about Dean Ambrose. You can't possibly think it's going to work."

"I don't know, Wade. I don't know what my life is going to be like one day to the next. I'm just trying to go with it. For the first time in what feels like forever, I can actually have a normal life. You have no idea what that feels like, but I just want to enjoy it. If I go on a date, is that really such a bad thing?"

"Do you trust me?"

"You don't want me to be honest with you right now, Wade."

"I do, though."

"I don't know how I feel about you at the moment. I mean, there was a time where I thought you and I were going to be inseparable, the best of friends. Then everything happened and instead of just telling me you needed time alone, you just cut me out and left me to wonder what I did wrong. That's not like you, but you did it, and I don't understand why, but I accept it." She looked at him. "Is that why you want to talk to me? You want to tell me to cut Dean out? I wouldn't do that. He's _always _been there."

"You're making a huge mistake," Wade told her.

"It's my mistake to make," she informed him angrily. Her phone went off. It was Dr. Rios. "I need to get back. 3MB is banged up and Dr. Rios needs an extra hand."

"Serena…"

"Obviously this conversation isn't over. But I just don't have the time to finish it now." Serena bid him farewell and let herself out of his locker room. She noticed her hands were shaking. She felt bad being so mean to Wade, who had endured a lot like her. Serena took a breath to steady herself before she was hit with a wave of offence. How dare he tell her how she should be living her life, when he obviously hadn't cared for months! She turned back, staring at Wade's closed locker room and shook her head in disgust. She couldn't hate him. He had helped her during a time when she had so desperately needed it. But it didn't mean she agreed with the things he was saying.


	18. Chapter 18

Against her better judgment, Serena let him into her home.

The young man who had appeared on her doorstep reminded her of Superman when he was under his Clark Kent alias. His hair was black and slicked back, his brown eyes behind circular shaped glasses. He wore a grey suit with a crisp white shirt underneath it, no tie. He didn't come armed with anything that she could see; no briefcase, no duffel bag, nothing. Serena had no idea how he found out where she lived and she was unnerved by how comfortable he seemed to be inside her home.

It was a beautiful Thursday afternoon, and Serena had only been home an hour after spending most of her day at the hairdresser's, getting her hair done. Tired of the blue, she had her hair done in hot pink, with a layer of black underneath. She liked it a little more than the blue. In the morning while she was sitting in the salon, Dean texted to ask her if it was a good night to take her on their date. She said it was, but now she was nervous as hell. Serena was also feeling a little spun around from her spat with Wade, but he didn't seem to be angry with her. Since their "talk", he had been texting her non-stop, a few times to reiterate his point that getting involved with Dean Ambrose as anything more than a friend was a very bad idea.

She led her guest into the living room. He looked around at the basic room. He sat down on the sofa. "Can I get you something to drink or something…?" she offered lamely.

"Sure. What do you have?"

"Lemonade, Pepsi, water…"

"Some lemonade would be great, if it's not too much trouble," he told her. Serena went into the kitchen and poured two glasses of lemonade. She went back into the living room and handed him a glass. "Thank you."

"What can I do for you, Mr. Turner?" she asked, sitting down in her armchair. He opened his mouth to speak, but before a word could come out, they were both startled by the front door opening.

"Serena?"

"I'm in the living room, Dean," she called out to him. Their homes were like homes to the others, so everyone walked in without knocking if the door was unlocked. Within seconds, Dean was standing in the arch that separated the hallway from the living room. He was dressed in a long sleeved black shirt that was rolled up to his forearms and blue jeans. His hair was all over the place, as per the norm. Dean's eyes rested on the man sitting stiffly in the chair, his gaze shifting to Serena. He noticed her hair was different. How could he not? She went from dark blue to bright pink. "Dean, this is Bradley Turner." Serena didn't know what else to say. She didn't know him.

Bradley stood and extended his hand to Dean, who didn't take it. Instead, he just took his place beside Serena, sitting on the arm of the armchair. It was very obvious Bradley was intimidated by Dean. "Ms. Lords, I promise that I won't take but a minute of your time. You see, I'm a college student majoring in criminology and minoring in filmmaking." Serena looked at Dean; was that even possible?

Serena felt Dean stiffen beside her. "Go on…" Serena managed.

"I grew up just outside Staten Island, and I'm looking at making a documentary about the Staten Island Slasher… I was hoping I could talk to you about it, about being the only survivor of such a horrible tragedy." Serena felt her every nerve stand on end. She'd received offers before, money into the six figures for the first interview, but she was never interested. Networks dangled the big name reporters in front of her; Barbara Walters, Diane Sawyer, Oprah and Katie Couric. But she wasn't into it. Serena shook her head. He was determined. "Please. Any money I make off this I want to donate to the families of those affected."

Dean's fists clenched. Serena put a reassuring hand on his to calm him down. She shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I just can't. I have no desire to relive what I've lived through, Mr. Turner."

"Ms. Lords…"

"She said no," Dean said through gritted teeth. Serena whispered to him to calm down, but he was getting irate. He ran his hand over his head and went into the kitchen to get himself a can of Pepsi.

"He's not going to hurt me, is he?"

"You'll be fine," Serena assured him.

"Was he part of the second wave of the Slasher's reign of terror?" he asked. Serena didn't have to say anything. The young man knew better than to ask questions of Dean, who leaned against the arch, sipping his can of Pepsi and glowering. Serena was surprised to find she was holding it together better than Dean was. Dean looked like he was ready to lunge across the room and attack the poor student.

"Ms. Lords, isn't it time for you to tell your story?"

"I told my story at the trial," Serena told him.

"But there's so much more. The escape and the emotions that followed – I mean, you killed him."

There was a physical growl that came out of Dean's throat. Serena's mind flashed back to the night she had killed him. She remembered the arterial spray, the wild and shocked look in his eyes as she kicked him away from her. She recalled being covered in his blood, in dirt, wet and cold as she threw up and cried. She stood. "Mr. Turner, I'm sorry, but I think you should leave."

"But…"

"She said get out," Dean growled. Serena shot him a look. His eyes were narrowed, his lips curled back into a snarl. If looks could kill, Serena knew Dean would have killed the poor aspiring filmmaker a hundred times over. He set the half-drank glass of lemonade down on the coffee table and stood.

"Can I give you my card or something? In case you change your mind?"

"All right, but I don't think I will," Serena told him. He pulled a card out of the breast pocket of his suit jacket and placed it on the kitchen table. "It's an honor to meet you." Serena had no idea what to say to that, so she thanked him and saw him out of her home. She sighed, closing the door behind him and resting her head against the wood. The dark thoughts were coming back. She sighed again; it had been a while since she had been a victim of her own dark memories.

"Does this happen often?"

She turned to Dean. "Not for a while," Serena confessed. "I got a couple calls after the escape, and after I got out of the hospital, but I turned them all down, just like I turned them down the first time. It's bad enough I have to relive it in my head, I certainly don't want to make money off it. I've left a lot of money on the table because it's just not right to exploit something like this. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: if I had my way, there never would have been cameras in the courtroom."

"I can't believe that. How did he find out where you lived?" he asked.

"Those types always have their sources," Serena told him. "I would have asked him, but it looked like it was taking you everything not to rip his throat out." He put his can of Pepsi down on the coffee table and approached her.

"I'm sorry. I just…I'm just trying to look out for you," he told her. His hand reached out and touched her cheek. He stroked her cheek with his thumb. Serena was surprised at the jolt it sent through her. It had been a long time since anybody had touched her in a more-than-friendly way. She flashed Dean the most reassuring smile she could, even though her thoughts were back in the woods.

"I know. I appreciate that," she told him with a smile. She reached up and tried to brush that same strand of hair out of his face, not surprised that it didn't stay in place. She smirked. "One day that strand of hair is going to stay in place." Dean chuckled. His hand travelled from her face to her hair. "What do you think?"

"It's interesting, but I think you'd look beautiful bald. Not that I want you to try that…" he added quickly. She laughed. He looked into her eyes. "Are you okay? Did he upset you?"

"I'll be fine," she assured him. "You worry too much."

"I can't help it," he confessed. There was an awkward beat between the two of them.

"What brings you here before our date tonight?"

"I just wanted to see you," he told her with a shrug. In the kitchen, her cell phone went off. Dean had a feeling it was Wade, but he didn't want to seem like the jealous, possessive type. "Are you going to get that?"

"It can wait." It was persistent. "I guess it can't. Give me a moment."

Dean followed her into the kitchen. She answered her phone. "Hello?"

"Serena, darling!" the voice crackled through on the other end.

Dean saw her flinch and shudder. "Hello, Mother," Serena greeted as well composed as she could be. Dean's eyes widened. It had only taken her two months to call her daughter back. "How has Hawaii been?"

"Great! I'm glad you got the postcard I sent. I'm calling to tell you that I'm going to be flying out to see you and the new place. I was thinking about joining you on the road as well, just to see what you've been doing."

Serena wondered why her mother cared so much all of a sudden, but she brushed it aside. "That sounds fine."

"Great. I'll be in tomorrow morning at about nine o'clock."

"Sounds good," Serena said.

"We need to talk. It's been too long."

Serena agreed, but Dean could tell she was livid. They said their goodbyes and hung up the phone. "My mother's coming out tomorrow. She wants to come out on the road with me."

"Are you going to be okay?"

"I guess." She ran a hand through her hair. Her only hope was that her mother didn't make her life too difficult during her visit.


	19. Chapter 19

It was well after midnight. Serena and Dean were sitting on her couch, eating big bowls of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. The TV was playing an old episode of _The Simpsons_. Shortly after the visitor departed, Dean left Serena to run a few errands, returning to pick her up at eight-thirty. It had been a humid, muggy night with not a star in the sky. Dean had shown up, dressed in black slacks and a black long-sleeved shirt that he had rolled up to his forearms. He had slicked his hair back. He had brought Serena flowers, something that had surprised her. It was a bundle of miscellaneous flowers, a bright bundle of color. Serena couldn't remember the last time anybody had bought her flowers. She had thanked him, hugging him tightly before putting them in a vase.

They went for a late dinner, to a small restaurant that wasn't very full. Dean was recognized by someone, and after dinner Serena took a photo for them. After signing an autograph for the ecstatic fan, they left. On a whim, Dean and Serena decided to go bowling, and ended up getting into a game with another lane. It had been fun, despite the fact that Serena couldn't bowl to save her life. Dean had spent the entire time picking on her. She had driven their game down considerably, but she was thankful he wasn't competitive to the point where he was angry over the loss. It actually looked like he was having fun. It reminded Serena of the brief moments she saw at Disneyland, where he let down his guard and just went along for the ride. Before Seth would laugh or Roman would make a comment that put him right back underneath the storm cloud that seemed to hover over him ninety percent of the time.

Serena and Dean bowled for hours. Before they knew it, the place was closing down. Not wanting to go home, Dean and Serena crashed the beach, which had long since closed. Open from dawn to dusk, there was nobody around to chase them off or scold them. They sat on the beach and talked about their careers, about their long-term dreams. Serena wasn't surprised that becoming a WWE Superstar was one of his biggest goals. They talked and stared out at the water until Serena yawned. Dean dropped her off at home, but Serena invited him in for ice cream.

"You sure you don't want to talk about it?" he asked.

"Talk about what?"

"Everything that's bothering you," he answered. "It's not hard to tell when you're distracted."

"I'll be fine," Serena assured him. "My mom just has a way of stressing me out."

"It's going to be all right," he assured her, but she shook her head.

"She wants to travel with me. God, this is going to be awful," she told him. "With my luck, she's going to become best friends with Alicia, Rosa and those god-awful Bella twins." Dean snorted. "I'm serious, Dean. You don't know her. She's so vain. She wants to stay young forever, so she surrounds herself with people who will feed her ego." There was a beat. She sighed. "I was on my way to becoming just like her, you know. I was so…_plastic_."

"You always say that, but I just don't see that."

"That's probably for the best you didn't see me like that," she answered. "I'm embarrassed by the way I used to be." She took a bite of ice cream and forced a smile on her face. "Did you want to come to the airport with me tomorrow to pick her up? Roman and Seth are coming along, too. They understand I need reinforcements."

"Of course I'll come with you. What time is she coming in?"

"Nine."

"I'll be here for eight."

"Thank you…for everything. Sometimes I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have you around." Dean snorted. "I'm serious."

"You're tougher than you think. You've survived the worst, Serena…your mom really can't inflict much more damage." He finished his ice cream and got up, taking the bowl into the kitchen and putting it in the dishwasher.

"You'd be surprised."

"Oh, I'm sure I will be. I caught some of her interviews during the trial," Dean confessed. He didn't talk much to Serena about what he had seen, to spare her any feelings of shame or embarrassment. But Serena knew he had kept up to date on the trial. "I watched her day after day as she left you to sit alone with the reporters in court, just to see her on some talking head's show talking about how she was so glad you survived. Jesus Christ, I didn't have Mother of the Year, but at least I knew she cared. Your mom just seemed so insincere."

"That's the way she's always been," Serena told him. "I really don't like the idea of her traveling with me."

"With us," Dean corrected. She looked at him. "What? You think we'd leave you to deal with her on your own? What kind of people do you take us for?" He draped an arm around her and pulled her in for a hug. "We're not going to leave you to suffer."

"I wouldn't blame you if you did," she said with a laugh.

"Well, when you put it like that…" Dean removed his arm. Serena giggled. "I hate to cut this magical night short, Serena, but you need to get your sleep. I'll see you in the morning. Try to get some sleep, all right?"

"I'll try," she promised. Dean stood. Serena stood as well, following behind him. She leaned against the arch that separated the main entrance from the living room, watching him put his shoes on. "Thank you for tonight. I had a really wonderful time." Dean looked up at her. The exhaustion was evident in her eyes, but he could sense a special type of warmth coming from her. She was happy. Even with her mother's visit on the horizon, she was happy. And he had caused it. That was a boost to his ego, knowing that she was happy spending time with just him.

He tied up his shoes and stood. There was a new awkwardness between the two of them. Their date was over. Dean wondered if he should ask if a goodnight kiss was all right. Serena wondered the same thing. Serena approached him, hugging him tightly. "I have no idea what we're supposed to do here," Serena confessed with a nervous laugh. Dean rubbed her back, exhaling. She felt his entire body deflate with his breath.

"I have no idea, either," he told her. She pulled back, staring into his eyes, her lips pulling back into a small smile. Her right hand went from around his neck, to his cheek. He pressed his lips to hers. It was a quick peck, a close-mouthed kiss, but it still left them both flustered. He pulled back. Serena blinked. "I'll see you in the morning."

"You know it," she managed. She was still in shock. It hadn't been a very firm kiss. It was quick; a blink-and-you'll-miss-it sort of thing. She could tell Dean was embarrassed. It had been forever since she'd been kissed. She had to bite back a laugh; it was so quick that she wasn't quite sure it had happened.

He opened the door and left, turning back to wave at her. "Goodnight, Serena."

"Goodnight, Dean. Thank you for the wonderful date," she repeated. She watched until Dean was in his car and driving out of her view before she shut and locked the front door. Shutting down the lights in the living room, Serena went to her bedroom, not surprised that she couldn't sleep right away. She was still wound up from the date, from the kiss and she was too used to staying up late. Serena turned on the TV and settled on Adult Swim. She didn't recognize the cartoon. But she watched until her eyelids got heavy and she couldn't stay awake anymore.


	20. Chapter 20

The airport was a bustling hub of activity when Serena arrived at eight forty-five with Seth Dean and Roman in tow. It was already promising to be a beautiful day, with an already bright sky and the sun making its presence felt. Driving past the beach, Serena wasn't surprised to find people already in the water, setting up camp on the sand for the day. Serena felt a little bitter that she was going to be spending her week with her mother. It was hard to drag her out of the dark cloud she was under. Serena could think of a million things she would have rather been doing than spending the week with her mother, all of them unpleasant things. Like chewing glass. Or climbing over a barb wire fence.

Dean held Serena's hand as they walked through the airport, every now and then turning and shooting Roman and Seth a death glare that dared them to start making smartass comments. They were all dressed in black, Seth in a As I Lay Dying T-shirt, all three of them in sunglasses and Shield caps to keep their appearances disguised. Serena joked that they looked like her bodyguards.

Serena was wound up tighter than a stopwatch. Dean could sense the tension radiating from her. He squeezed her hand reassuringly, but it did nothing to ease her stress. Dean thought she looked beautiful, dressed in a black V-necked, three-quarter sleeved sweater dress that had a white sparkling belt around the waist. She wore tights underneath the dress. Serena completed the look with knee-high boots, a simple locket and earrings. Her makeup was minimal, with just some gloss and eyeliner. She pulled her hair back into a high ponytail.

Seth and Roman followed behind Dean and Serena. She was thankful to have the three of them with her as her eyes scanned the crowded airport for any sign of her mother. The three of them had become the family she had never had, and she couldn't be more grateful. When Dean felt her stiffen beside him, he knew that she had found her. He leaned into her ear. "Where is she?" he inquired. Serena cocked her head to the right.

The first thing Dean saw was a giant, fancy black hat with an enormous white bow on the side. To Dean, it looked like she had stepped out of a black and white movie, into the world of Technicolor. People moved and he saw her face, covered by giant circular sunglasses that ate up half of her face. Her skin was of peaches and cream complexion, her lips small and painted ruby red. She was dressed in a black and white skirt and blazer ensemble. Her heels were ridiculously high, but she walked in them with ease. She carried a small black purse.

Seth leaned over to Serena. "_That's _your mother?" he asked incredulously.

"The one and only Sabrina Lords," Serena said through gritted teeth.

"She's gorgeous," Seth said.

"Seth!" Dean barked. Seth nodded and took his place beside Roman.

"She's made of the best plastic money can buy," Serena told him, keeping her eyes on her mother. Her mother's mouth opened in an "O" shape and she waved at them. Plastering a phony smile to her face, Serena gave her mother a curt wave, the other hand holding onto Dean's for dear life. He noticed her grip had become tighter, almost painful. "God help me, I can't do this," she murmured. Dean flashed Serena a reassuring smile and squeezed her hand back.

"Oh, thank God. I was worried I was going to have to wait to get out of this place," she said. The look of incredulity that passed over Roman's face was priceless. The hug that she gave her daughter was weak. Dean bit back a noise as she gave her daughter air kisses on both cheeks. She pulled back, holding her daughter at arm's length. Her face crinkled. "Oh, Serena, what have you done to your hair?" She looked down at Serena's free arm, grabbing it and examining the tattoo. "Oh, Serena, tattoos are so unbecoming of a lady. Have I taught you nothing? I thought I at least taught you better than…_this_." She cocked her head at Serena's general appearance. Dean ran his tongue along the inside of his mouth. It took all of his power to keep his mouth shut. Not even off the plane for ten minutes and she was already nitpicking and criticizing Serena. He couldn't believe it.

"Mother, now is hardly the time. How was your flight?" Serena asked. Her words were clipped. Dean wasn't put off by the fact that Sabrina hadn't acknowledged them yet, but he was definitely offended by the way she was treating Serena, her only daughter who had survived a serial killer's wrath not once, but _twice_.

"It was a flight. I don't understand why they let babies on planes," she vented. "When do you have to go back on the road?" Dean also noticed that she hadn't even said hello to her daughter.

"Tomorrow afternoon," Serena answered. Her mother took off her sunglasses. Dean noticed that her mother's eyes were brown. He supposed that Serena got her beautiful eyes from her father.

"Well, Serena, do you intend on introducing me to your friends?"

"This is Roman Reigns," Serena introduced. Roman reached forward and shook Serena's hand, offering vague pleasantries. Serena could tell he wasn't all that impressed with Sabrina Lords. He put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. As long as she had the three of them watching her back, Serena was sure she would never feel alone. Serena was surprised that her mother hadn't said anything about the fact she was holding hands with Dean. "And this is Seth Rollins."

"It's nice to meet you, ma'am," Seth told her, taking off his sunglasses as he shook her hand. Serena felt the urge to stomp on his foot, but she knew he was just trying to be polite.

"And this is Dean Ambrose," Serena introduced. Dean nodded, but he made no effort to shake her hand or let go of Serena's hand. He squeezed Serena's hand.

"Do you three work with my daughter?" she asked. Dean noticed that she said the word "work" like it was something vulgar. They nodded.

"Mother, do you think we can get out of this airport?"

"Of course we can. I think I would lose my mind if I were in here any longer," she said with a laugh. Dean and Roman exchanged glances, silently asking each other if the woman in front of them was real. Serena was so tense that Dean wondered if she could walk normally. Sabrina made a sound of distaste. "I can't believe what you've done with yourself, Serena. This is not the way I raised you."

It was on the tip of Serena's tongue to remind her mother that she had hardly raised Serena, but a well-timed squeeze of the hand from Dean kept her from saying anything and creating a scene in the airport. Sabrina strolled past her daughter, walking towards the baggage claim. Seth and Roman shrugged and followed after her. Seth offered to carry her bags, like the gentleman he was. Dean leaned over to Serena, who was catatonic in place. "Serena, are you going to be okay?" he asked.

"She's already been here less than twenty minutes and I want her to go home." She sighed. "We should get over there." Dean nodded. Hand in hand, they walked through the throngs of people to the baggage claim. Dean vowed to himself that he would do everything to make sure Serena had a good week, in spite of her mother.


	21. Chapter 21

"Oh, Serena, I see you haven't taken my advice about the laser surgery."

"I just don't see the point in doing it, Mother," Serena told her, trying to stay as diplomatic as she could. The five of them – Serena, Sabrina, Dean, Seth and Roman – were driving back to Serena's apartment. In a comical moment after they left the airport, Sabrina learned that her giant hat wouldn't fit in the car, so she was forced to store it in the trunk with her luggage. The twenty minute drive was quickly becoming awkward, with Sabrina nitpicking and criticizing Serena. Seth and Roman were visibly uncomfortable, the two of them staring out the opposing windows in the back. Dean sat in the middle, seething. The more she spoke and the more she prodded at her daughter, the angrier he was becoming.

"You don't want to live with those scars forever, do you, Serena? They're just so…_disgusting_."

Serena's eyes shifted to the rear-view mirror. Her stomach felt heavy. She needed to take a deep breath, but she wasn't sure she could. Her nerves were beginning to twitch and that familiar feeling of self-loathing and self-consciousness washed over her; just when she had gotten past hiding the scars beneath turtlenecks and long sleeves. Only her mother could stunt her growth. She wished her mother had stayed silent and far away; the only reason she had called her in the first place was to let her know she had survived the second round. Not that Sabrina seemed to care; she hadn't said anything about Serena killing her attacker.

Her eyes caught Dean's in the mirror. He was livid; she could see it in his eyes. She could feel it resonating from him, the pure rage. Seth had a hand over Dean's, giving him a silent glare that told him not to get in the middle of it. He shook his head in disgust, running his tongue along the inside of his mouth.

"I'm not going into this with you now with my friends in the car," Serena told her.

Sabrina didn't listen. She shifted her body so she faced the trio in the backseat. "Come on. What do you guys think? She's got such beautiful skin - she just needs to get rid of those scars, right?" Dean looked up at Serena's mother, his eyes full of rage and defiance.

"I think Serena is beautiful just the way she is," he informed her, his tone matter-of-fact. Sabrina made a noise of disbelief and turned back into the passenger's seat. Dean had to look out the window and bite his tongue to keep himself from saying something that was going to make Serena's week miserable. Serena looked at him in the mirror, touched by his words. Dean looked back, offering a half smile when he saw her eyes staring at him in the mirror.

"It's just a quick laser procedure, Serena. I don't know how you can look in the mirror every morning and see such things. I think it would be in your best interest. Put it behind you," she continued. It took everything Serena had not to slam on the brakes and kick her mother out of the car. She had been pushing the laser surgery since Serena was hooked up to IVs in the hospital. She had wept profusely, telling every doctor and nurse who would listen to her that Serena had been deformed. Then she had disappeared without a word. Serena later got a postcard from her mother saying she was in Greece with one of her new beaus that didn't work out.

"I'm not talking about this," Serena told her mother firmly, keeping her eyes on the road.

"Serena…"

"Mother, I said drop it." The anger and frustration was evident in her voice. Dean looked at Serena, surprised. She turned her car into the driveway. She spotted a car she recognized and exhaled. "Oh, this just keeps getting better and better," she murmured under her breath. Dean recognized the car.

It belonged to Wade Barrett.

Serena parked the car, killed the ignition and got out of the car. She saw Wade on the second balcony, in front of her apartment door. He was shifted, trying to peek in through the curtains to see if anybody was home. In his hand, he held a cup of coffee. He was dressed in dark blue jeans and his grey hooded sweatshirt.

"You know, I'm sure a text message would have saved you the wait," Serena called out to him. He turned to her. Sunglasses covered his eyes. His lips pulled back into a smile.

"That was going to be the next course of action, love!" he called back to her. "I thought since it was early, you'd be home." Instead of shouting back and forth, Serena turned and unlocked the trunk with the press of a button on her key chain before taking off up the steps. It was still early, and she was sure her neighbors didn't appreciate her shouting back and forth. Dean wasn't too far behind her.

"I had to pick my mother up at the airport this morning," Serena told him when she was in earshot. Wade looked over the balcony to see her mother putting her hat back on. Seth was stuck with the task of carrying her bags. Roman was making his way up the steps. Wade moved to the side so Serena could unlock the door to her apartment. She walked in, with Dean and Wade following close behind her.

Sabrina walked into the basic apartment, her nose squinting in distaste at the lack of decorations and furniture. Her eyes rested on the six-foot-seven Englishman standing in the middle of the entranceway. Serena could tell she was instantly taken with him. "And just who is this fine young man?" Dean visibly shuddered. Seth smacked him on the arm, all the while biting back a smile.

"This is another friend of mine, Mother. I work with him."

"Wade Barrett," he introduced himself. They shook hands.

"It's certainly a pleasure to meet you, Wade. Serena didn't tell me she worked with such fine men. Are you seeing anybody?" Serena instantly flushed a bright red.

"I'm not seeing anyone, no."

Serena turned on her heels and went into the kitchen. Dean followed while Wade and Sabrina made small talk in the living room. He found her eating a cookie. "Want one?" she asked. Her words were clipped and terse.

"You have the patience of a fucking _saint_," Dean snorted, reaching into the cookie jar for a chocolate chip.

"No, I don't," Serena told him. "It's not even ten AM and I'm thinking about getting blitzed off my ass."

"I don't blame you," he told her, running his free hand over her hair, down her ponytail. "You can say it over and over again, but I don't think you could ever be like that. Sweet Jesus, is she even real?"

"I'm afraid so," Serena replied dryly, biting into her cookie. "I'd ask if you wanted to take her, but I wouldn't even wish her on Alicia Fox." Dean almost choked on his cookie. He laughed.

"And what's going on in here, love?" Wade asked. Sabrina, Seth and Roman followed them.

"I was thinking of making some coffee," Serena said, quickly covering up the fact that she needed space to herself. Dean reached into the cupboard and handed her the coffee filters. She flashed him a grateful smile.

"Serena, you didn't tell me your mother was such a stunner, love," Wade told her. Dean noticed her stiffen as she stood at the sink, filling up the coffee pot. "She says she's going to be traveling with you on the road this week?" Serena nodded, pouring the water into the coffee maker.

"I can't wait to see what this life you've built for yourself is like," Sabrina told her daughter. Serena didn't say a word. Dean didn't either; he just leaned against the counter with his arms crossed over his chest.

"How was your date last night, Serena?" Seth asked. Serena almost dropped her coffee mug. She shot a death glare at Seth. Serena instantly felt all eyes on her.

"You went on a date last night? Why didn't I hear anything about that when I called yesterday?" Sabrina asked.

"It's not a big deal. Thank you, Seth," Serena told him. Seth realized his mistake and gave her the best apologetic look he could muster. Serena saw something flicker in Wade's eyes. She shot him a look that said, _Don't even start. _She put the coffee filter in the machine and filled it with coffee, slapping it shut and turning it on. "We just went out for dinner and we went bowling. Then we came back and had ice cream. It was nice."

"What's his name?" Sabrina asked. Serena turned to Dean. "I see."

Serena could tell her mother didn't seem to approve of Dean all that much, but Serena didn't really care. After all, it was her life that she was living, the way she wanted to live it. She wasn't living her mother's existence. Her mother always seemed to forget that.


	22. Chapter 22

While Serena was busy doing her job, Wade offered to keep Sabrina busy. Serena was eternally grateful for his offer, but he told her that she owed him one. Sabrina was a big hit with Brie, Nikki and Alicia, just as Serena expected. The three of them agreed that Serena needed to get rid of her pink hair, the tattoo on her wrist and the scars that riddled her body. Not wanting to go into it for the thirtieth time since her mother's arrival, Serena disappeared to the safety of Dr. Rios' office. He could tell Serena was very unhappy and distracted, but he knew that he would catch an earful while she was eating dinner with The Shield. The boys always brought her dinner in the office to keep Serena away from Brie, Nikki, Rosa and Alicia. Sometimes AJ, Dolph and Big E would join them, but it was usually just The Shield. Dr. Rios knew all the gossip backstage because he was always around the talent. He knew that Serena was seeing Dean Ambrose, the trio's mouthpiece. Reactions were mixed, but he was just happy to see Serena moving on from her harrowing past.

Inside the trainer's office, Serena was stretching out Randy Orton. Serena thought he was moody, but harmless. She was intimidated by him, though she knew she had no reason to be; Randy had never been anything but nice and respectful to her. Wade had told her that he didn't really like anybody backstage, but over the past few weeks, Serena was surprised to find that he hung around with the last people she expected, like Santino Marella. She also learned he liked heavy metal music and online video gaming.

Dr. Rios had told her about Randy's hypermobile shoulders, so Serena worked herself to the bone to come up with a very comprehensive stretching regimen for his shoulders. Randy enjoyed her work so much that he always asked for Serena to work on him. Dr. Rios was fine with it, because he usually had his hands full with John Cena or Ryback.

Serena worked on his shoulder. "So that blonde thing running around like she owns the place is your mom?"

"I'm afraid so," Serena confirmed. She had his right shoulder stretched to the limit. He winced as she held it for a few seconds and let go. "I'm sorry if she said anything that's offended you, or if she says something that will offend you this week, because I'm sure she will."

"Serena, I know you aren't responsible for your mother," Randy snorted. "It should be the other way around."

"Thank God you have some common sense," Serena breathed. "Wade's taken my mother out of my hair for the night, but apparently I owe him one. That doesn't surprise me." Randy's face darkened, but he didn't say anything. He knew better than to say anything. It had taken him years of practice and hard lessons, but he had learned. "She's supposed to be here for a week, but I'm not sure I'm going to make it. She is driving me insane." Randy snickered, then winced and made a noise as he felt a small jolt in his shoulder. "Sorry."

"It's all right." There was a beat between them. "What does your mother think about you doing this?"

"Oh, she doesn't approve," Serena laughed. "She hit the roof when I told her I wanted to go to college. My mother has this idea that a 'woman's role is in the home'. She's the perfect candidate for one of those awful _Housewives _shows, Randy, and I'm not even being dramatic. She's never had the ambition to be anything more than a housewife, with a husband to take care of her. You know, she actually blamed what happened on the fact that I wanted to go to college." Randy grimaced. "But, on the bright side, she thinks there are plenty of good-looking men. She thinks I shouldn't have a problem landing a husband."

"You're kidding."

"I wish I were, Randy." She twisted his shoulder into another position, holding it before starting on the other side. "I'd try to explain her way of thinking, but to be honest I think it would make my brain explode. It's like listening to the Ultimate Warrior speak." Randy laughed.

"What does she think about you and Dean Ambrose?"

"She doesn't approve in the slightest, but I'd say her disapproval is a point in Dean's favor. She thinks he's too quiet and that he's funny looking. She said our kids would be ugly," she confessed. Randy laughed; a deep chuckle that rumbled his entire body. He was incredulous, Serena could tell. "She really seems to like Wade, though." Randy made a noise. She knew they hated each other. "Since she's arrived, she's pretty much expressed disapproval of everything I've done. She hates my hair. She's upset that I haven't had the laser surgery she recommended to get rid of all these scars. What pissed her off the most, though, is the tattoo on my wrist." Randy looked up at her and she flashed him her wrist. He smiled.

"For the record, I think you're fine the way you are," he told her gruffly. "You're one of the toughest women I've ever met, and that's saying something in this field."

"I appreciate that, Randy. Some days I don't feel so tough," she confessed. "Dean told my mother the same thing. I think that's why she dislikes him. She lives in her own world where nobody ever disagrees with her, so Dean instantly planted himself on her bad side. Not that he cares. He thinks she's awful."

"What about Seth and Roman?"

"They both aren't impressed, but Roman's pretty reserved and diplomatic about it. Seth's just polite to a fault because she's older. I feel for him, because she's got him carrying her bags and stuff."

"How did you survive growing up with her?"

"I hardly had to. She was always dropping me off with the grandparents to run off with her boyfriends," Serena confessed. She was massaging his right shoulder, trying to work out all the pain she had inflicted.

"Oh, she was one of those mothers."

"She left me at the hospital to run off with a boyfriend to Greece. I still have the postcard. She glued a plastic surgeon's card to the back of it."

"She did not." He looked at her, incredulous. He could see in her eyes that it was true. She nodded.

"Yeah, she did."

"Why do you even put up with her? That's just fucking disgusting."

"Because she's my mother," Serena told him sadly. "I didn't get to pick her." She was surprised that she was having such a deep conversation with The Viper. She barely knew him.

"There has to be a limit, though, Serena. You've withstood so much; you should not have to put up with _this_."

"That's what Dean keeps saying."

"How was your date?" he asked.

"Good," she said with a smile. The conversation was about to take a much-welcomed lighter turn. "We went bowling. Thank God he's not super competitive, because I drove our game right down. We ended up getting into a game with the lane beside us. It was a lot of fun."

"I can tell. You're glowing," he teased.

"Get out of here," she laughed. "So who are you wrestling tonight?"

"Dolph Ziggler."

"That should be a good match."

"It's impossible to have a bad match with Dolph," he told her. "How long's it been since you've hung out with AJ?" Serena had to stop and think about it.

"It's been a while, but I know she's been really busy."

"I have to get going, but stay strong, okay? She'll be gone before you know it." She smiled and he gave her a quick hug before disappearing. She ran a hand over her hair, ruffling it. She cleaned up her station a little bit and watched the clock. Dr. Rios finished up with Jinder Mahal, who gave her a curt nod as he left. Dr. Rios approached, leaning beside her.

"I heard what you said to Randy Orton. I'm sorry, Serena."

"It's all right, Ferdinand. It's fine. I just needed to vent."

"I know she's your mother, but don't let her get to you. I think the way you've bounced back from not one, but _two _traumatizing events, is extraordinary. Nobody can ever take that away from you," he told her. He draped an arm over her and gave her a hug.

"I know. I just forget that sometimes," she said with a laugh. She looked at the clock. It was six-thirty. There was a knock on the door. "That's gotta be Dean and the guys with dinner."

The door opened and it was Dean, Seth and Roman. Dean was holding two plates. So was Seth. "We brought you dinner, Dr. Rios!" Seth announced with a smile.

"Thanks, guys," he told them. Seth handed him the plate. Serena, Dean, Seth and Roman went to their little corner and sat down, the way they always did at dinnertime. Dean put everything down and hugged Serena before they sat down. She also hugged Seth and Roman.

"How's your night going?" Dean asked her.

"Good. What are you guys doing tonight?"

"We're jumping Team Hell No again," Seth told her. Serena nodded. Dean had told her there was talk that they were going to put the tag team titles on them. She couldn't be happier for them. They'd been so impressive since coming into the WWE. "We're just doing some setup for the upcoming match."

"I see your mom's hit it off with the Quartet of Doom," Seth joked.

"Did I call it?" she asked. The three of them nodded.

"We promised that you wouldn't have to go through this by yourself. We're going to stick by you this week," Roman promised her. She smiled.

"I don't know what I would do without you guys," she said with a smile.

"It's what friends do," Seth told her. Serena bit into her boneless chicken wing. She didn't care what her mother had to say; as long as she had her three best friends with her, anywhere felt like home.


	23. Chapter 23

"Serena, love, do you think we could talk?"

It was after the _SmackDown _tapings, well after. Two full days spent with her mother, sharing a hotel room had Serena's nerves frayed at the edges. Dean, Seth and Roman were already gone. Serena had to stay behind for a medical meeting with Ferdinand and Dr. Sampson, so she told them to go ahead without her. AJ offered to take Sabrina back to the hotel. Serena promised to do something nice for AJ as a result, because she knew her mother would spend the entire drive criticizing AJ's fashion sense, the skulls and the cut-up T-shirts she always wore. Sabrina Lords didn't care who she offended, just so long as people knew her opinion.

Serena turned. Wade Barrett was standing in the parking lot behind her, dressed in a black V-necked T-shirt and blue jeans. Giant headphones were hanging around his neck, but she couldn't hear any music. He held a cup of coffee in his hand. His black bag was parked beside him.

"What are you doing here so late?" she asked.

"I had a late meeting with a few of the agents and Vince," Wade answered. "What about you? You're here late, too."

"I had a meeting with the medical department. I have to go update my first aid next week," Serena informed him. She leaned against her car. There was a moment of uncomfortable silence that passed between the two of them. "I just wanted to say thanks for looking after my mom the past couple of days. I know she's downright unbearable in the best of scenarios. I really appreciate it."

"It's nothing. I find your mother quite charming," he said with a smile. Serena outright laughed. "She seems to like me much more than that miserable tosser you're dating." He had hit a nerve, in spite of the jovial way he had said it. Serena ran her tongue along the inside of her mouth.

"Wade, please don't start. It's late and I've had a long week," she told him tersely. The smug smile on his face was enough to make her want to slug him. "When it comes to my mother, I'd say it's almost a point in Dean's favor if she hates him."

That made Wade's smile fade. Because they hardly talked, Serena knew Wade had no way of knowing the level of disdain she held for her mother.

"Serena…"

"When did you start hating Dean? You seem just fine with Roman and Seth, and you used to be just fine with Dean when you were hanging out with us…" Serena shook her head. "I'm so tired of this backhanded, passive-aggressive thing that you're doing with me, Wade, so do me a favor and just spit out whatever you have to say." Wade's eyes darkened.

"Fine, Serena. You want me to lay it out? I think you belong on my arm and not his, love. That's why it didn't work out with Alicia again. She knows I would rather be with you. Dean doesn't deserve you and he knows it."

"Oh, God, this week just keeps getting better and better," Serena murmured, staring up at the ceiling and rolling her eyes. She opened her mouth to say something to him, but she clamped her mouth shut and threw up her hands. "You know what, Wade? I really can't deal with this right now."

"Don't walk away from me, Serena."

"Don't walk away from _you_? You walked away from _me_! I barely hear from you, and now suddenly you're all over my space. God, Wade, could you pick any worse of a time to say this? Let me guess: my mother told you to say something because she's not happy that I'm seeing Dean Ambrose."

"He disrespected her." That was as good a confirmation as she was going to get, and she knew it.

"Please. She's disrespected her only daughter for years and you certainly don't hear me bitch about it."

"Serena, it's not just that. I've always wanted to be with you. Back when you were having panic attacks at the very sight of me. I've always found you...enchanting," he teased. Serena was in no mood to be led down memory lane. It had never been good to her. "I'm sorry, love, but I needed to step away. I didn't want you to see what a mess I'd become. I was ashamed of it. I mean, look at me. There shouldn't be a lot that scares me to death, but what I went through scared me to death."

"It scared all of us, Wade," Serena reminded him. "The difference is the guys and I banded together. I needed them. I needed _you_. And all I got from you was unanswered phone calls. You couldn't even be honest with me, Wade. If you needed space, that's all you had to say, but you didn't say it. You invited me to stay at your place when I got released from the hospital, and then I couldn't reach you. I know you were overseas, but Jesus, couldn't you have at least answered my text messages to say plans had changed? I had to find out from Dean that you were in England?"

"I'm sorry, Serena."

"I can't fault you, because you were dealing with things. But you seriously can't expect me to just drop everything and go with you when you've been so unreliable."

"Serena…"

"Wade, I'm with Dean. And I'm trying to be straightforward about this because I don't want to string anybody along because I care about you both," she told him. This was the last conversation she wanted to be having. She wondered if her mother put Wade up to this. "Dean's always been there Wade. My loyalty's always going to be with him. And Seth and Roman," she added.

Her phone vibrated. She knew it was her mother, demanding to know when she was coming back to the hotel. "Serena…"

"Wade, I care about you. But I can't be with you now. I'm with Dean. You don't have to like that, but you have to accept it."

"Tell me I have a chance at least."

"Wade, I can't promise you that," she told him. "My friendship is all I can offer, and you've made it pretty clear that's not worth all that much." Her phone vibrated again. "I need to go or Mother is going to drive me insane."

"Serena…"

"Wade, what you want from me is so unrealistic. You can't expect me to hurt Dean because all of a sudden you're interested in my attention again. It's not fair to him." She turned to walk away. Wade surprised her by grabbing her wrist.

"Please don't walk away."

"Wade, I've said all there is that needs to be said. You can't say anything that's going to make me change my mind." Wade took a step back from her. "I don't know where the future is going to go, but right now you're not in it, not like that."


	24. Chapter 24

_**Sorry for the lack of updates, you guys. I've unfortunately been dealing with a crisis in my family. I'm going to try and keep the updates coming, but it might be a little slow for the time being while I'm dealing with these issues. I want to thank all of you for your continued support, and for taking the time to read and write reviews for this story. I want to thank everyone who isn't reviewing, but following and signed up for alerts and such. The fact that you guys are even reading this is extremely flattering to me, and I just want to let you know I appreciate it. **_

_**Having said that, here's the next chapter. **_

* * *

Dean was in the bathroom brushing his teeth when the knocking at his door started. His brows furrowed; it was well past three o'clock in the morning. He was getting ready to call it a night, fresh out of the shower and changed into a white muscle shirt and black basketball shorts. He finished brushing his teeth quickly, rinsing his mouth out as the knocking continued. Drying the excess toothpaste from his mouth with a hand towel, he dropped it on the counter and took off towards the door, stifling a yawn as he approached the peephole and peered through. He opened the door. "Serena?"

"I'm sorry to bother you, Dean, but do you think I could stay here tonight?" she asked. "I really don't want to go back to my room."

"I don't blame you," he told her with a smirk, stepping to the side to let her enter the room. She was still dressed in the clothing she wore at work. Serena flashed him a grateful smile as she walked in. He closed the door behind her. When he turned, Serena launched herself into his arms, hugging him tightly, holding on for dear life. He hugged her back just as tightly, rubbing her back soothingly. She exhaled a deep breath that seemed to deflate her in his arms. "What's wrong, Serena?"

"I don't even know where to start," she confessed. She disentangled herself from his arms and went to the couch. Serena sank down to the couch, running a hand over her head. She huffed. "Dean, I'm not going to lie: my week has been going steadily downhill since my mother showed up."

"Am I supposed to put my surprised face on?" he asked sarcastically, dropping down to the couch beside her. "Serena, that woman is a bitch on wheels. I've never seen anything like it."

"She feels the same way about you, Dean," she said with an amused snort. "She thinks we'd make ugly kids."

Dean started laughing. He clapped a hand over his face, resting his head back against the couch. His entire body was racked with laughter. "Jesus fucking _Christ_!" he said between hiccupping laughter. Serena wasn't laughing. He felt kind of like an idiot, laughing so hard by himself, but he didn't care. Sometimes he entertained the thought that Sabrina Lords was an act, that she wasn't real, because he was sure that nobody so vapid, shallow and bitchy could be real. "For fuck's sakes; I don't know whether to be semi-flattered or just outright insulted."

"Dean, I'm serious. She's taking it upon herself to 'correct' all the 'mistakes' I'm making while she's here."

"She really can't do much, Serena. She's got as much power as you give her." He gave her a once-over. Dean knew there was more to the story, but he wasn't sure how to pull the information out of her. "There's more to it, though, so let it out, Serena. What's going on?"

"I can't, Dean…I really can't…"

"Hey." He touched her face, turning her head to face him. "You know you can tell me anything."

"I'm just getting this feeling like the odds are against us," she confessed quietly, her eyes searching for something to stare at. Serena knew that underneath the tough, violent exterior, Dean was like her; fragile. She also knew that she didn't want to throw Wade under the bus and create problems between everybody. Arriving in WWE was the best thing that could have ever happened to her, she knew. Since arriving, she had found the family she had always wanted. She would give what little she owned to keep that intact.

"Are you saying this is a mistake?" he asked her.

"No. God no," she answered. "I've never felt safer with anybody else."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that," he told her with a smirk. "So what happened tonight?"

"After the meeting, you mean?" she asked. He nodded. "I had a talk with Wade Barrett that didn't exactly go very well. The talk with Wade led me to come back to the hotel and have the biggest blowout with my mother. It's been years since I've yelled at her the way I yelled at her tonight. The last time I lost my temper with her, I was fourteen and she left me to go to Vegas with who's-his-face." Dean could tell the argument bothered her greatly. He knew Serena was always searching for peace and serenity in her life. Those two things constantly eluded her. "I'm sorry, Dean. You have to be exhausted, and here I am dropping my baggage on you."

"Don't worry about it. I wasn't asleep when you knocked," he told her. There was a beat. "You gonna be okay?"

"I don't even know," she confessed. "I can't wait till my mother leaves."

"When is she leaving?"

"Sunday night, hopefully," Serena answered. "She's been talking about staying. She thinks I'm in need of saving." Dean snorted. "I know, I know."

"You are the _last _person in need of saving," he told her.

"I'm glad you see things my way," she said with a laugh. "I've been wondering if I'm going insane."

"Nope," he told her with a shake of his head. "It's just your fucked up mother."

He put his arm around Serena and drew her close. She rested her head on his shoulder. "Thanks, Dean. I really don't know what I would do without you sometimes."

"I don't know, either," he teased. "I think we should have another date when we get home."

"That sounds great," she said. She sighed. "I've been thinking about moving again."

"Where are you thinking?" Dean asked.

"I'll still be in Florida," she assured him. "It's just…considering all the traffic I get I'd rather have a house. Besides, I like the idea of owning my own place. I hate the drab white walls. I think I need more color in my life."

"Let me know if you're going to do that. We'll give you a hand moving."

"Would you help me paint the place?"

"You know it. We could get Seth and Roman in on it, too."

"I was thinking we could invite AJ and Dolph, and maybe Damien, too. I know they're in the area."

"So you're really thinking of leaving the apartment?"

"Yeah, I am. I have really nosy neighbors, Dean, and my mother has been gossiping with them, to be honest. I just don't want to face them anymore. She's telling everyone who will listen that I'm doing nothing with my life but making one mistake after the other."

"I'm sorry, Serena."

"You don't have to be. Even if I told her no, Dean, she still would have come. She does her own thing. Asking is just a formality. If I said no, she'd still be here." She forced a smile on her face. "I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" he asked. She sat up a little straighter and turned to face him. He put a hand on her face, running his thumb over her cheek. There was still a cloud of awkwardness between the two of them, but he knew it would pass. Their relationship was still new. Dean knew it was just as awkward for Serena as it was for him, but they were both committed to giving this a try.

"I've survived worse, haven't I?" she asked softly. He nodded. She was distracted by the touch of his hand on her face. After the attack and her mother's reaction, Serena had a hard time believing she was pretty. Growing up, she always heard her best feature was her clear blue eyes. But being with Dean…she felt beautiful. She felt like her scars didn't matter and her past didn't matter. He never made a big deal out of them and he never did anything to make her feel abnormal. It was the same with Seth, AJ and Roman. They made her feel like she belonged. It was something she always strived for. The best part was she didn't have to put on a façade; she didn't have to be vapid and shallow. She could just be herself. It felt great.

"I really want to kiss you right now," he told her. She felt herself blush.

"Are we talking a real one, or that little peck I got last time?" she teased.

"Serena…"

"What's stopping you?" she asked.

That was all he needed to hear. He pressed his lips to hers. She jolted, but his hand moved from her face to the back of her neck, holding her in place. Serena couldn't help but be nervous; it had been a long time. She was rusty, and she would be the first to admit it. Serena wasn't sure how to respond. She parted her lips slightly. He parted his lips as well, but didn't push it any further. When he pulled back, they were both breathless.

"Wow," Serena breathed.

"You said it," Dean echoed. Serena felt a red-hot flush crawling up her neck and into her cheeks. He stood. "I hate to cut this short, but I need to get some sleep. There's the bed there if you need it."

She stood and hugged him. "Thanks. For everything."

"Don't worry about it. You'd do the same thing for me if I had a mother like yours."


	25. Chapter 25

Serena woke up at quarter to six after having a nightmare that took her back to the woods. She realized she fell asleep on the couch watching TV, turning back to see Dean fast asleep in his bed. Taking his key card, Serena left him sleeping and ventured to a nearby bakery to pick up breakfast for the two of them, along with some extras because she knew Roman and Seth would make their way to the hotel room at some point in the morning. She was armed with a lot of food, all in bakery boxes that were stacked in two giant bags that hung over her arms. In her right hand, she held a flat of four cups of coffee, all of them clearly labelled. Hanging out with The Shield so much, Serena knew their coffee preferences down to the letter.

Later on in the morning, they had to fly out to Seattle, Washington for a house show. Dean, Seth and Roman were main-eventing the house shows, taking on the team of John Cena, Kane and Daniel Bryan. Since it was going to be a short flight, Dean was ecstatic to get the extra hour of sleep that he felt he so desperately needed.

Serena was making her way through the main lobby of the hotel, towards the elevators. She had a headphone in one ear, listening to Jessie J. Her head was swaying softly back and forth to the beat as she wove swiftly between the people lining up at front desk to check in and check out.

"There you are, love! Your mother has been worried about you all night! Where have you been?"

Serena turned to see Wade standing in front of her. His grey hooded sweatshirt was zipped right up, the hood covering his hair. He wore sunglasses over his face. She could see his headphones hanging around his neck. He was armed with a cup of coffee. Serena was pretty sure that he had just come back from his morning workout. Serena's eyes narrowed. She remembered back when their friendship was on more solid footing, when she was happy to see him and he was warm and caring and non-judgmental. The fact that he was getting along with her mother so well was beginning to annoy her, not to mention she suspected some of her mother's traits were rubbing off on Wade. She also had her suspicions that her mother was filling Wade's head with all sorts of ideas about a future between Serena and Wade. Serena hated to admit it, but she was beginning to develop some sort of us vs. them mentality when it came to Sabrina, Wade, Dean and herself.

Wade took one look at her and knew instantly where she had spent the night. His face darkened. "It figures. You shouldn't have run out on your mother like that, Serena. She raised you better than that."

"She barely raised me. But I'll bet she never told you that," Serena told him dryly. She kept moving towards the elevator. Wade was struggling to keep up with her. She hit the button. She sighed. "Since when did you become so attached to the hip with my mother?"

"She's a charming woman, Serena. I see a lot of you in her."

"Bullshit. I'm nothing like her," Serena told him angrily.

"You've changed, Serena," he accused. She snorted.

"Well, I'm not the same as I used to be," she told him curtly.

"He's changed you."

"Who, Dean?" she asked. Wade didn't have to answer. Serena knew he was looking for anything to validate his sudden dislike for Dean Ambrose. Serena snorted. "Get out of here with that, Wade. The scars all over my body changed me. That night in the woods, _killing _a human being? That changed me. But you haven't been around to figure that out." It was a cheap shot and she knew it, but she didn't care. The elevator door opened. Serena walked in and hit the button. Wade got in with her.

"Serena…"

"Don't, all right? I don't know what you're doing with my mother, I don't know what she's saying to you, but I don't care, okay? In the past few years, I've been attacked twice, sued and I've done things I never thought I'd do in a million years. I still have nightmares. I have problems looking at myself in the mirror. I'm just trying to put one foot in front of the other and keep moving on with my life. I'm not going to be the same after what has happened. It's certainly _not _Dean's fault."

"You should be…"

"With you, I know, I know. We've been over this." She wasn't looking at him, something that struck Wade. She was hardening, he could see it. The elevator stopped on a floor that he knew wasn't hers. She went to step out, but he grabbed her arm.

"Serena…"

She put her arm out, keeping the elevator door from closing. "Don't, all right? You can run back to my mother and say whatever you want to tell her, but I'm not ready to deal with her yet." She stepped out onto the floor. Wade watched her walk away as the elevator doors closed. Serena didn't bother turning back to look at him.

Serena attempted to shake the unpleasantness from her mood. Serena slid the key card into the door and walked into the room. The first thing she heard was the water running in the bathroom. She saw his bed was empty, the covers thrown back. The other bed wasn't slept in, since she had fallen sleep on the couch. She couldn't remember what she was watching before she fell asleep. Serena went to the kitchen area and put everything down on the counter, pulling the boxes out of the bags. There were donuts, turnovers, and other goodies that she had picked up. She was so sure she would make it back before Dean woke up that she hadn't bothered leaving a note. Now she was second-guessing that decision.

The water stopped running in the bathroom. Serena helped herself to her cup of coffee and leaned against the counter, sipping from the paper cup. She turned her head and looked out the window, at the quiet world below. She saw Daniel Bryan and Kane arriving back at the hotel with Brie Bella in tow. Serena made a noise. She wondered if she was becoming too bitter with some of the people around her. She decided quickly that the animosity and bitterness she felt towards the Bella twins, Alicia Fox and Rosa Mendes was more than justified. They had been cruel to her. She knew Alicia's reasoning, but she had nothing against the other three. Serena didn't even know them.

Serena was brought back to the room when the bathroom door opened. Dean walked out, dressed in blue jeans and a black T-shirt that hung off him. His hair was brushed back and slicked. He smiled. "Good morning. I though you went back to your room."

"It's too early for that," she said with a laugh. She grabbed Dean's coffee, crossing the room and handing him the cup. He thanked her with a kiss on the cheek. "I went and got breakfast."

"You're too sweet." He sipped his coffee. "You remembered the espresso shot. God, you're perfect."

"You're too sweet," she mimicked. He followed her into the kitchen. He looked at all the boxes. "I figured Seth and Roman were probably going to stop by in the next little bit."

"I'm going to have to put extra time in the gym, but I don't even care right now," he told her, grabbing a chocolate frosted donut topped with rainbow sprinkles. "Thanks for breakfast."

"It's the least I could do, you know, with me dropping in at three o'clock in the morning."

"You're always a welcome sight," he told her, draping an arm around her shoulder and bringing her close. Serena could tell he was still tired. "This is some good fucking coffee." She laughed. "Did you get the espresso shot, too?"

"No, but I probably need it," she told him. She grabbed herself a raspberry turnover and bit into it. "I ran into Wade downstairs. This is going to sound crazy, but I think he spent the night with my mom." Dean almost choked on his coffee. "Not like that. Gross."

"I'm with you there," he told her. He finished his donut. "I'm sorry to put that thought out in the universe."

"You should be," she told him. "But she's filling his head with stuff, Dean, and he's buying it. I don't like it."

"You shouldn't," he agreed. "But don't let it bother you. You have enough shit to deal with." He ran his hand through her hair. Serena was surprised she could feel so comfortable around somebody. "Are you still thinking about doing what you were talking about last night?"

"What, the move?" He nodded. "Yeah, I am. I'm still thinking of having everyone over to paint, too."

"Well, you can always stay with me while the paint is drying," he told her. "I don't have to tell you that, though." Serena put her coffee cup on the counter. She ran her hand over his wet hair, bringing her hand to a rest on his cheek. He looked into her eyes. He thought they were one of her best features, light and clear blue. There was a knock on the door. He turned his head and kissed her hand.

"I'm going to get that," he told her, moving past her. He scooped up his baseball cap off the coffee table and put it on backwards, never missing a beat. He peered through the peephole and answered the door. It was Seth and Roman. "Serena brought breakfast, guys." Roman closed the door behind them.

"Good morning, Serena," Seth greeted. He opened his arms wide and she gave him a hug. Then she hugged Roman. Seth grabbed a long john donut. "You got us coffee, too? Serena, you're the best!"

"We just got up," Roman explained, "And you know how Seth is without his coffee."

"Oh, I know," Serena laughed. "Why else do you think I got extra larges?"

"Much appreciated," Seth told her, strolling out of the kitchen area and sitting down on the couch.

"Thanks, Serena," Roman murmured, grabbing a blueberry fritter. He took his place beside Seth on the couch.

"Serena's thinking about moving again," Dean announced.

"But you just got into that place a couple months ago," Seth said, surprised.

"I know. I just want a house of my own. I miss my little cottage, away from nosy neighbors," Serena confessed.

"You thinking about leaving us?" Seth asked.

"No, no. I'll still be in Florida."

"Good. We're getting a little too used to having you around," Seth told her with a grin.

"Maybe I'm a little too used to having you guys around, too," Serena responded. Dean went back into the kitchen to get his cup of coffee. He put his arm around Serena's waist.

"We should go to the zoo tomorrow before we fly back," Seth suggested. Roman and Dean shot each other bemused looks.

"I think that's an awesome idea," Serena told him. Dean's shoulders slumped, but Serena didn't see it. "We should totally take a loop there before we get on the plane." There was a beat. "By the way, Seth, did you ever call Cinderella?"

"Let's not go there."

"What happened?" Dean asked. It was obvious Seth had kept everything to himself.

"I said let's not go there."

"She said her little brother was a fan…is that the only reason why she got your number?" Serena asked. Seth didn't have to answer. "I'm sorry, Seth."

"It's fine. There's someone out there for everyone, right?"

"There is," Serena agreed. "You'll find her eventually."

"Took me a while, but I found mine," Dean told him. Serena felt herself blush. She felt his grip around her waist tighten just a little. Serena still had that nagging feeling about the situation with Wade and her mother, but she pushed it aside and in the moment allowed herself to feel normal.


	26. Chapter 26

Sabrina was sitting on the couch in the hotel room, reading the latest issue of _Cosmo_ she had picked up at the airport. She was reading an interview with Taylor Swift when she heard the sound of the key card in the door. Her eyes perked up to see Serena walk into the room, still dressed in the clothing she wore the night before. "Are you finished having your little tantrum?" Sabrina asked her daughter. Opting not to engage her mother, Serena walked past Sabrina without a word, going straight to her suitcase to pack. Seth, Dean and Roman were going to be along in a few minutes; they were just finishing packing as well. Serena's stomach was in knots facing her mother. Sabrina shut her magazine and stood. "You spent the night with _him, _didn't you?"

"_His _name is Dean, Mother," Serena replied tersely, throwing her a bundle of T-shirts into the suitcase.

"I raised you better than to…"

"Just stop! You didn't raise me at all!" Serena informed her angrily, slamming a dress into the suitcase and wheeling on her mother. "Jesus Christ, Mother, are you on another planet? Or are you just so fucking deluded that you've tricked yourself into believing things were different? I don't even know what's worse: the fact that you legitimately believe that things were good, or that you've somehow got Wade drinking the Kool-Aid, too!"

"Wade is so much better for you, honey. You just refuse to see it because you're stubborn. You should be lucky he's paying attention to you, with you looking the way you look."

"And how do I look, Mother?"

"You look deformed with all those scars, Serena. I don't understand why you won't go get those dreadful things covered up." Serena slammed her last shirt into the suitcase and shut it. "You think I'm being unreasonable, but I'm looking out for you, Serena."

"My personal life is none of your business, Mother," Serena told her firmly. "I'm not going to throw myself at Wade Barrett because _you _think I should. I'm very happy with Dean. We get each other."

"He's dour and funny looking, Serena. He doesn't deserve a moment of your time."

"Looks aren't everything, Mother."

"You only say that because of how you look," Sabrina pointed out.

"Mother, I think you need to go home," Serena told her. She was stunned to hear the words come out of her mouth, but she didn't regret them. Her hands were shaking, but she clenched them into fists to hide it.

"I'll do no such thing. Not until we get you fixed," Sabrina informed her.

"I don't need fixing," Serena told her angrily. "I'm fine just the way I am. You're the one who needs help."

There was a knock on the door. Serena pushed past her mother to get the door. It was Wade, armed with two cups of coffee. The look of disdain in Serena's eyes was visible to Wade. She did nothing to hide it. "Good morning, Serena," he greeted cheerfully. "Sabrina, love, I brought you some coffee."

"Good morning, Wade," she greeted, strolling to the door to get the cup of coffee from Wade. Serena walked away from the door, checking out from the room and buckling up her suitcase.

"I'm out of here," Serena told them, walking towards the door. She wasn't surprised that Wade and Sabrina weren't budging, the two of them standing in front of the door, Sabrina with her arms crossed over her chest. "I'm not playing around, you guys. Move it."

"Serena…" Sabrina started.

"I don't want to hear it," Serena told her mother firmly. She looked at Wade Barrett. "I don't know what in the hell you two have been planning, but I'll never have any part of it."

"Do you know how paranoid you sound, Serena?" Wade asked her. There was a knock on the door. They moved. Serena opened the door. It was Dean, Seth and Roman. Dean spotted Wade and his face darkened. Serena walked out, slamming the door behind her. Without a word spoken, she stormed to the elevator. Dean, Seth and Roman all exchanged glances before following after her. She hit the button on the elevator and waited for it to open. Each second it took, she felt herself becoming angrier and angrier.

The door opened. They turned. "Serena, you get back here!" her mother bellowed. The elevator doors opened and Serena walked in. The guys quickly followed her. Serena felt herself flush bright red with embarrassment as a door opened and Randy Orton poked his head out. Serena hit the button to go down to the lobby.

"Serena…" Dean started. Serena turned into his arms. Dean put down his duffel bag and hugged her.

"I'm not deformed," she said. "They're scars. I'm not deformed."

"Of course you aren't," Seth told her, putting a reassuring hand on her back.

"Your mother's just a bitch," Dean told her, running a hand through her hair.

"Dean's right about that," Roman agreed, putting a hand on her shoulder. Serena pulled back.

"I'll be all right. I just want to get out of here."

"What about your mom?" Dean asked.

"I don't even care. I just want to get away from her. She's refusing to go home until I fix everything she feels is wrong with me," she told them. The elevator doors opened. "That includes you, Dean."

"I hope she isn't holding her breath," Dean told her.

"I kind of wish she would. Maybe she'd be quiet," Serena murmured. Dean laughed. Seth gathered her into his arms for a hug. He was laughing, too, his brown eyes sparkling. "God, she's got Wade right in her back pocket. What happened to him?" She knew, though. Being tied up in her flaming cottage had unhinged something in him. Seth had almost veered off the rails, but Dean, Roman and Serena did everything they could to keep him happy and focused on the good things in life. But Wade had distanced himself, intent on handling everything by himself. Talking to someone Serena knew would help him in the long run, but right now he was somewhere she didn't care to travel, especially because she was still trying to crawl out of the darkness.

"I'm sorry, Serena," Dean said soothingly. They walked through the lobby and out the door. It was a warm morning. "Did you want to wait for your mother?"

"No. I'm sure Wade will be more than happy to drive her to the airport," Serena said angrily. She got into their car. Dean, Seth and Roman exchanged glances and then they shrugged. Dean got into the backseat with Serena. Seth got in the passenger's side.

"Okay. I see how it is," Roman joked. "Keep your hands off the radio this time, Seth. I swear to God, you've got musical ADD." He moved around the car and got into the driver's seat. Dean put his hand on Serena's leg, a comforting gesture. She looked away from the window to him and smiled. She thought he looked cute in his backwards baseball cap. Roman started the car and they drove away from the hotel, in the direction of the airport. "If only she would go home," Serena said under her breath. Dean smiled sadly; he had no idea how somebody so beautiful could be a product of something so awful.


	27. Chapter 27

Dean came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He rested his head on her shoulder. "What are you thinking?" he asked softly, his lips close to Serena's ear. She felt an involuntary shiver ripple through her entire body at the sound of his voice so close to her ear. The two of them were dressed in raggedy sweatpants and T-shirts. Serena's hair was pulled back in a messy bun, Dean's held back with his backwards baseball cap. They were standing in Serena's new living room, getting ready to paint after a long day at Home Depot picking out colors. Dean wasn't surprised to find that Serena knew exactly what she had in mind for the new house that was only a five minute drive away from his place. Three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a spacious kitchen, Dean had to admit it was a beautiful place. The outside was light blue, with white shutters and doors. Serena had taken Dean, Seth and Roman with her to look at the house. They told her she couldn't pass it up, so she put the down payment on the house.

It had been three weeks since Serena left her mother behind with Wade Barrett. He had talked Sabrina into returning to her home in Staten Island, with the promise that he would help Serena "get back on course", a statement that offended Serena more than she thought it would. But Sabrina was out of the picture. Serena had begrudgingly thanked Wade for getting her to go home, but not before he told her he intended to keep his promise to her mother.

Seth and Roman were stopping for beer and pizza before coming to the new place. Serena had to tell them to get lots because there were a lot of people coming. AJ was bringing Layla and Dolph was bringing Big E. Damien had texted and said he was bringing Cody Rhodes with him. Serena welcomed the company. For now, though, it was just her and Dean in the living room, staring at the empty white wall. He had brought a stack of old newspapers and tape with him, leaving it in the main entrance area.

"I'm thinking the mint green will look really pretty in here," she told him. He tilted his head and placed his lips on her neck. She sucked in a breath. It was a sweet spot, at the crook of her neck. He had found it a few days before. She was pretty sure he was enjoying driving her crazy. He rested his chin back on her shoulder. "You're bad."

"You're too kind," he teased. There was a knock on the door. "Well, it's obviously not Roman and Seth," he told her. Serena nodded. Serena, Dean, Seth and Roman had reached a level of comfort with one another that they always walked into each other's homes without knocking. He let her go and Serena went to the door.

Damien Sandow stood on the other side, dressed in one of his T-shirts and black jeans. He held a gift bag in his hand. "Salutations, Serena!" he announced with a warm smile. She hugged him. Behind her, Cody Rhodes stood, wearing a black T-shirt and blue jeans. He held a gift-box as well. "We brought you housewarming gifts."

"You guys shouldn't have," Serena told them. She hugged Cody. "Hello, Cody."

"Hi, Serena," he greeted, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "This is a beautiful place you've got here. Hey, Dean," he said with a wave. Dean nodded, offering a curt wave to both him and Damien. "Where are the other two?"

"Getting pizza and beer," Serena said with a smile. Damien handed her the bag. She pulled back the paper and looked inside. She looked up at him and smiled, giving him a hug.

"I was unsure of what you still needed replaced after the fire," Damien confessed.

"I definitely needed a new blender, Damien. Thank you. I'll just go put this in the kitchen."

"You might want to take mine with you," Cody said. She put the bag down and sat on the stairs, opening the box. It was a beautiful porcelain cake dish. "My mom helped me pick it out," Cody confessed sheepishly.

"I think it's beautiful," she said, looking at the box. It kind of reminded her of the rose stand in _Beauty and the Beast_, except it was big enough and round enough to fit a cake. "Thank you, guys." She got off the stairs and put everything away in the kitchen. She was touched that they even thought to bring her gifts.

The doorbell rang. "Can one of you boys get that?" Serena called out.

"I'm on it!" Cody called back. She emerged from the kitchen to see Layla standing in the doorway, dressed in shorts and a baggy Zack Ryder T-shirt. Her glossy brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail. She walked in, her brown eyes widening as she looked around the house.

"This place is gorgeous, Serena! Congratulations!" she crowed, rushing to give Serena a hug with her free arm. Under her other arm was a giant, glittering blue box, complete with a lavender bow on top. "AJ and the others aren't far behind." She pulled back and thrust the box into Serena's hands. "I brought you a gift for your house. Thanks for inviting me over."

"This is quickly becoming a housewarming party, isn't it?" Serena asked. Everybody nodded. Serena sat down on the steps and opened the present. She cocked an inquisitive eyebrow. "Is this an ice cream maker?"

"It makes margaritas, too," Layla told her. Serena laughed.

"This might be the coolest thing I've ever seen," Serena told her. "I think when this place is all unpacked and settled we're going to have to have an ice cream party, you, me and AJ." Layla smiled. She knew that Serena was very distrustful of most of the Divas backstage; thanks to the bullying she had endured from Alicia, Rosa, Brie and Nikki. Serena and Layla had never really been close, but she always thought Serena was a nice girl dealing with a lot of problems. The ones who bullied Serena could never give Layla a good reason why they disliked her so much.

"If we left out Kaitlyn, she'd probably kill us." Serena mulled it over.

"Good point. I know she could take me, too. We'll involve her."

"Hi, Dean," Layla said with a quick wave. Dean was leaning against the arch. He gave her a nod. AJ, Dolph and Big E came into view. Serena noticed they were all carrying stuff too. She started laughing.

"I'm making out like a bandit," Serena said with a laugh.

"Well, it's not exactly good etiquette to show up to a new house without a housewarming gift," AJ told her with a grin. She practically skipped to Serena, sitting down beside her on the stairs. "Open mine first." She looked down at the ice cream maker. "You settled on the ice cream maker, did you, Layla?"

"It makes margaritas, too!" Layla told her.

"You're still what? Six years from legal age?" Serena teased. AJ gave her a shove, but she was laughing.

"Oh, it's like that, is it?"

"We're going to do an ice cream making party in a few weeks," Serena told her. AJ's brown eyes lit up.

"Oh, man, that has bad idea written all over it," she said. "We're all going to have to run to the gym after that."

"Hey, guys," Dolph greeted. He was dressed in what looked like his workout clothes. His hair was dry, something that struck Serena odd. She was used to seeing his hair wet and slicked back, the way Dean wore it on television. He had a small bag in his hand. "Jeez, AJ, you didn't even wait for the car to stop before you got out."

"Hi, Dolph," everyone greeted. He handed the bag to Serena. It was a bottle of champagne. She gave him a hug. Layla hugged him and he offered a greeting to Dean. They weren't extremely close, but they were definitely connected over what happened to Serena the night she was drugged.

"I don't see your driving gloves," Dean teased.

"I put them in the glove box," Dolph told him with a smirk.

"Who the hell still wears driving gloves?" Damien asked, his face contorting. Dean pointed at Dolph.

"It's not just me," Dolph informed them. "Big E does, too."

"Oh, Jesus," Cody laughed, clapping a hand over his forehead.

"What the hell's so funny?" Big E asked, stepping over the threshold, into the house.

"Driving gloves, apparently," Dolph said with a shrug. Big E shrugged as well.

"What's up, Serena?"

"Not much. Waiting for Seth and Roman to get back with the pizza," she told him. He handed her the box in his hand. Serena opened it, thanking him. It was a single cup coffee maker. She hugged him. "You guys are really too sweet," she told them. They went into the living room.

"So what color are you doing this room?" Layla asked.

"Mint green," Serena answered. "I have the colors in all the rooms."

"Mint green is going to look great in here," AJ told her.

"What color are you thinking for the kitchen?" Big E asked.

"Red," Serena replied. "I got a black and white checkered border I want to put in it too, around the top, middle and bottom."

"I didn't realize you had an eye for interior design," AJ teased.

"I didn't, either," Serena shrugged.

There was pounding at the door. "Our hands are full!" she heard Seth call through the door.

"I'll get that," Cody told her. She thanked him and he went through the arch, to the door.

Seth's head barely peeked over the pizza boxes. "Oh, my God, Seth, it looks like we're feeding an army!" Serena laughed. He walked into the kitchen to put the pizza down on the counter. Roman came in, holding two cases of beer, with a white plastic bag over his wrist.

"What took you guys so long?" Dean asked.

"We stopped for some paper plates after the liquor store. We realized after we placed the order that there's no dishes here," Roman said, walking towards the kitchen.

"Oh, Roman – you're always one step ahead of me," Serena called after him, a smile spreading across her features. "I really didn't think about the dishes thing."

"Do you just have beer?" Layla asked.

"No, there's some Pepsi in the fridge. I made a stop for some snacks earlier," she confessed. "I just forgot about paper plates. What would I do without The Shield?"

"I have no idea," Seth teased her, draping an arm over her shoulder.

"So how do you want to do this?" Dean asked.

"I was thinking guys downstairs, girls upstairs," AJ suggested. Serena shook her head.

"If you want to do it like that, we should put the guys upstairs," she said. "There are more of them than there are of us. We could take the downstairs."

"Cody and I will go wherever you want us to," Damien told her.

"We'll figure it out after pizza," Serena said. They all crowded into the kitchen. Seth had already set up all the boxes and opened them up. There was just about every type of pizza imaginable. Everyone piled their plates up. AJ, Dolph, Dean, Roman and Seth grabbed beer, while the others grabbed soda.

"Are you going to have a beer later?" Cody asked Damien. He shrugged.

"Oh, come on. It's always been my hope that I can get you so drunk that you talk like a normal person," Serena teased. Damien chuckled. "Give Cody the night off of translating for unwashed people like me."

"Oh, Serena, you are so uproarious," he told her. She flashed him a smile. They sat down on the living room floor. Layla pulled out her camera phone.

"Smile, everyone," Layla called out. Everyone raised their cans and laughed as Layla snapped a picture.

"Thanks for coming out, you guys," Serena told them.

"We wouldn't miss this for anything," Dolph told her.

"What color are you going to do your room?" AJ asked.

"Sky blue," Serena answered. "I thought it would go really nice with the white bedding I got."

"How much did they ask for this place?" Dolph asked.

"Two hundred and ten," Serena answered. "The guy couldn't get this place off the market."

They ate and drank, and joked. Damien was full of jokes that Serena had never heard before. The jokes devolved into ones that were so bad and cheesy that it made everybody laugh. When everyone couldn't eat another bite, they separated into groups, the women going upstairs while the men stayed downstairs to paint the kitchen. The guys promised they would come up when they finished painting the ground floor.

Serena, AJ and Layla walked into the master bedroom. Layla had a bundle of newspaper in her hands. AJ had three rollers in her hands. "I picked up a new bedroom set," Serena told them. "I got a good deal on it."

"Did the insurance end up covering what you lost?" AJ asked. Serena nodded.

"It took a lot of fighting, but yeah, they finally covered a bit of it," she told them.

"So this is where the magic happens, is it?" Layla teased. Serena instantly blushed.

"No magic happening here," Serena answered with a laugh. She set about getting the paint ready.

"You and Dean haven't gotten it on yet?" Layla asked.

"Oh, my God, are we really doing this with all the guys downstairs?" Serena laughed. AJ was setting the newspaper and the tape around the walls to keep the paint from bleeding onto the floor and the ceiling.

"Don't mind Layla; she's just nosy," AJ assured her. "But you and Dean seriously haven't sealed the deal yet?"

"We haven't been together very long. Besides, I don't know what the appropriate amount of time is," she said with a laugh, rolling her roller in the paint.

"There isn't really an appropriate amount of time, I think," Layla told her. "I think it's just a matter of when it feels right."

"Thank God the guys are downstairs. I think I'd want to jump out a window if they heard any of this."

"Oh, you've survived worse than a little sex talk," Layla told her with a snort. "How long has it been anyway?"

"A long time," Serena answered.

"Don't you ever miss it?"

"It wasn't anything to write home about," Serena confessed.

"Well, not to _your_ mother," AJ quipped. Serena hanged her head and laughed.

"They must have been doing it wrong," Layla told her.

"You can do it wrong?" Serena asked. She looked at AJ, who shrugged before going back to painting the walls.

"Don't look at me about it, Serena. Dolph and I have _no _problems in that department," AJ told her.

"I really can't believe you and Dean haven't…"

"I haven't been thinking about it, to be honest," Serena told her. "Between everything, and the lawsuit, and my mother…Have I mentioned how happy I am that she's gone?"

"Only every other hour," AJ teased. "But I don't blame you. What kind of mother tells their child she's deformed? That is just so messed up beyond any words."

"She did not say that!" Layla exclaimed. They nodded. "Oh, Serena, you aren't deformed at all."

"We all know that," AJ told Layla. "That woman was so infuriating. I have no idea how you grew up with her."

"I didn't really. She always left me with other people."

"That explains why you didn't turn out like her. Thank God."

"Dean loves you, you know," Layla told her, rolling the paint onto the wall. "I can see it in his eyes."

"I love him, too," Serena confessed. "I don't know what I'd do without him."

"All the more reason you should hit it," Layla told her. AJ made a sound that was half-laughter.

"Oh my God, Layla," Serena laughed.

"How are things with Wade Barrett?" AJ asked.

"They still aren't any better than what they were," Serena confessed with a sigh. "He really hates that I'm with Dean. He says I belong with him. I have no idea when I became this desirable figure."

"I think he just wants what he can't have," Layla told her. "I know Wade, and he used to be a decent guy…but he's changed. And not for the better," she added. "But I know I don't have to tell you that."

"He promised my mom he would fix me."

"Fix you? What an idiot," AJ snorted, rolling more paint onto the roller. "Your mother needs fixing."

"Have you really not been with anybody since everything happened?" Layla asked. Serena nodded. "Have you been completely celibate?" Serena nodded. "How have you managed? My God!"

"Life's just been too busy for me to think about it. Why is my sex life so interesting?"

"Because you're dating one of the hottest new talents on the roster," Layla told her.

"And one of the moodiest," AJ interjected.

"I can't argue with that," Serena giggled. "But he's a sweetheart. Don't tell him I said that, though. I know he has an image to uphold, him, Roman and Seth."

"Have you at least thought about it?" Layla pressed.

"I'm only human," Serena told her. "Of course I have." They started on the next wall.

"Has it been awkward?" AJ asked. "I know you guys were really close before this."

"Just a little," Serena confessed. "We're getting past it, though."

"You two really are adorable together," Layla observed.

"Hey, ladies."

"Jesus!" Serena jumped. They all started laughing. Dean stood in the doorway, holding three cans of Pepsi in his hands. "Are those for us?" she asked.

"I thought you guys could use something to drink," Dean told her, walking into the room. He handed a can to Layla and then to AJ. Serena took hers from Dean, who surprised her with a quick peck on the lips. She felt herself blush with embarrassment when she saw the amused way Layla was studying them. "Anyway, the living room is almost done, then we're heading to the kitchen. It looks great down there."

"Shut up, Layla," AJ told her. Layla laughed while Dean face-palmed. Serena bit her lower lip to keep from laughing. "Forgive her, you guys – she has a filthy mind."

"I've heard all about it," Dean told AJ. He smirked at Layla. "Don't traumatize my girlfriend too much, okay?"

"No promises," Layla teased. He dismissed her with a wave before disappearing from the room.

"You're terrible," Serena laughed, rolling her roller in the paint.

"Yeah, but you'll get used to it," Layla told her. They continued to paint.


	28. Chapter 28

"Where did you want us to put the couch, beautiful?" Dolph asked. He was holding onto one side, while Big E Langston held onto the other. Seth and Roman were currently halfway up the stairs with Serena's dresser, cursing under their breaths. It was a bulky dresser that was awkward to get a good handle on. They already put the bed together upstairs. There had been loud thumping, cursing and a lot of laughing at their expense, but Serena had rewarded the two of them with ice cold margaritas from the ice cream maker Layla had given her.

"Just against the wall there," Serena pointed. With a curt nod, they moved the couch and put it down. AJ walked into the house, carrying a box marked 'BEDROOM' in her hands. She stood at the bottom of the stairs and watched Seth and Roman impatiently. Her brown eyes narrowed.

Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes had brought in Serena's bookshelf, resting it against the wall by the arch. Dean was bringing in the heavier boxes, since a good wind could have blown AJ away. He walked through the door with the coffee table over his shoulder. It was awkward and unwieldy, but Dean didn't care. Seth and Roman reached the top of the stairs, but not before Roman almost lost his handle on the dresser. There was a sound, and Serena panicked. "I'm fine, Serena!" Roman assured her as they disappeared around the corner. AJ barreled up the stairs at top-speed.

"It's about time!" she called after them.

"Quiet, you!" Seth called back at her.

Cody opened a box of books. His face instantly contorted as he pulled a Harlequin Romance paperback novel out of the box. "What is this?"

"No judging," Serena told him, shooting him a look. Damien was amused as he looked at one of the covers.

"This maiden looks unpleasant," he observed, making a face. Serena clapped her hand over her face.

"Does that mean she looks unhappy or ugly?" Layla asked.

"Both, Layla – and the term is _aesthetically deficient_," Damien corrected.

"Just put the books in the shelf," Serena laughed.

"Oh, God – I just saw a cover with a shirtless cowboy," Cody stood up straight and walked through the arch, laughing. Layla called out to him, but he brushed her off with a wave of his hand. Serena was quickly becoming embarrassed by her travel reading materials. Damien picked up the cover like it was contaminated. His eyes were sparkling with laugher.

"Oh, Serena, I always perceived you to be a woman of good taste," Damien scolded in jest. "I am so very disappointed in your choice of literature."

"Well, thank you for your irrelevant opinion," Serena told him, sticking her tongue out. Damien laughed. It was a loud sound that rang in her ears. He dropped the book back in the box and approached, giving her a hug. Serena didn't know a lot of people who could get away joking with Damien Sandow the way she did.

"You're welcome," he laughed. Serena found herself laughing as well.

"There's nothing wrong with a romance novel," Layla informed them.

"Dean…" Cody started. Dean looked at Cody and shook his head.

"No. I am not getting anywhere _near _this conversation," he informed them. Everyone laughed. "I'm going to get another box." He walked through the arch.

"But they're picking on me!" Serena called after him.

"You read the shit – own it," he called back, walking out the door. Everyone laughed. AJ came skipping down the stairs. She walked into the living room and took her place beside Dolph.

"What's so funny?" AJ asked. "We could hear all the laughing upstairs."

"Serena reads cheesy sex novels," Dolph told her. AJ's mouth opened in an "O" shape.

"There's no sex in these books."

"Well, in the new ones there are," Layla told her. "But yeah, those are some ancient looking books."

"With some prehistoric women on the cover," Damien said, staring at another cover.

"Damien…I can't even with you right now," Serena laughed, throwing her hands up, exasperated.

"Hey, Cody – this cowboy's mustache looks almost identical to yours," Damien observed. AJ, Layla and Serena howled with laughter as Dolph, Big E and Cody crowded around the book.

"Shut up," Cody laughed, shoving Damien. AJ whispered she was going to get another box. Serena nodded and AJ took off. Layla followed after her. Cody snatched the book from Damien and put it in the shelf. Dean returned with an end table. Layla was holding two white lamps in her hand.

"What did I miss?" Dean asked.

"Everyone went from picking on Serena to picking on Cody," Dolph said.

"Mustache," Big E threw in. Dean nodded.

"I figured."

"You guys are jerks," Cody told them, but Serena could tell he was enjoying the ribbing.

"We still love you, Cody," Serena assured him. "Mustache and all."

"It's a magnificent mustache," Damien agreed. Serena face-palmed; from the corner of her eye she could see Seth and Roman coming back down the stairs.

"I hate your dresser," Roman told her.

"I'm sorry," she offered. Roman shrugged.

"There's another end table in the truck," Dean told them. Seth nodded and went out to get it. Dean followed, murmuring something about the dining room chairs. AJ and Layla followed. Serena noticed Roman's left wrist was bright red.

"What happened?"

"When I lost the grip on your dresser, it hit my wrist," Roman told her. "I'm fine."

"Roman…"

"It's a little sore, but I just bumped it. It's fine, I promise," he told her. She nodded. Layla and Seth came in with two chairs under their arms. Dean was carrying two boxes stacked on top of each other. Damien and Cody went out to the truck, coming back with the dining room table. Dean put the boxes down in the living room. One was marked 'BEDROOM' and the other was marked 'KITCHEN'.

"Thanks, you guys, for helping me move and paint. How about after this, I take you all out for dinner? My treat," she added. Nobody objected. Serena followed AJ out to the truck. AJ jumped in and slid the last four boxes over to her. The television and the TV shelf still needed to be taken out, but they were too heavy for the women to carry. Serena slid a box marked 'LIVING ROOM' to herself and took it. Layla took the other one while AJ jumped out and took the box marked 'BATHROOM'.

"Dean was saying that this place isn't too far from his?" Layla asked. Serena sighed.

"We aren't going back to this discussion are we?" Serena asked her. "Please not in front of Damien. I can only half understand him as it is." There was a beat as they walked up the driveway. "And yes, he's about a five or ten minute drive down the road." Layla opened her mouth. "Stop. Just stop."

AJ walked ahead, snickering to herself the entire time. "Don't encourage her!" Serena called after her. AJ laughed as she disappeared into the house.


	29. Chapter 29

Dean looked down at the mop of pink hair that was sleeping on his bare chest and sucked in a breath. Dinner had been fun; they had all wound up at a barren little restaurant and had the time of their lives, oftentimes dragging the serving staff into the madness. Serena was coming out of her shell and he loved it. There was still a dark cloud in her eyes, a cloud that he could easily associate with what she had to do to survive that night in the woods, but he knew she was determined to move on with her life. She would be forever haunted by what she had done, but Dean vowed to himself that he would always be there for Serena. He brought a hand up and gently stroked her hair. She made a cute little noise, but didn't move. He loved her tenacity. She was a survivor in every sense of the word.

Even while drifting in and out of the shock of being stabbed, the fear Dean felt for Serena, injured and alone in the woods with a serial killer, was vivid. He'd never known such terror. It was what kept his mind off of the blood loss and the pain in his hip. Dean was certain she would make it out alive, but he would have been lying if he said he didn't have his doubts; after all, she was already injured after the blast that had killed a few police officers whose only crime was protecting her. When he found out that she had been found in the woods, hysterical but alive, the feeling of relief had been indescribable. It was in that moment he knew he loved her, when the thought of not having her around was too much for him to take. In spite of the situation, he actually got a good laugh when he found out that instead of babbling about herself, the first people she asked about were him, Seth, Roman and Wade. She was always thinking of them, even before her own health. It had floored him and touched him.

Layla had gotten a little too drunk at dinner. Serena and Dean drove her back to her house and told her to come get her car in the morning. Serena admired the infinite amount of energy that Layla always seemed to have, but Dean could tell that she was getting annoyed by Layla's loud singing and drumming on the back of Serena's seat. He knew the past few days had been exhausting for Serena, between the packing, painting and moving. Tomorrow they would be going back on the road. Next week Serena would get the chance to relax, but between all the traveling, Dean knew the first day or two would probably be spent sleeping.

After they got back to Serena's house, they settled down to watch a movie after Dean helped Serena figure out her Blu-Ray player. She curled up under his arm and rested her head against his chest. He could tell when she found parts of the movie boring, because he could feel her fingertips making light circles on his abdomen and he could hear her sigh. It took everything within him to stay focused on the movie. He was thankful Serena was merciful and picked a movie with lots of explosions and stunts instead of one of those romantic comedies she liked. He wasn't sure if she had noticed his breath catching at points; if she had, she didn't say a word about it.

Dean was pretty sure she dozed through the movie twice, and when she wasn't dozing, she was yawning. After the movie he had to gently shake her back to reality. He was going to leave, but she asked him to stay. Lately he had been noticing that she hated being by herself. Dean had no problem spending every waking moment with her, though; he could think of worse people to spend his time with. He was going to sleep on the couch, but Serena told him her bed was fine. She was sure it was more comfortable than the couch. Dean helped her make the bed and then they climbed in together. She rested her head on his chest and was out almost instantly. But he couldn't sleep.

It was well after midnight. Life on the road meant bedtime after midnight was early. He looked around the darkened room, with several boxes stacked between the closet and the wall.

"Dean?"

"You're still awake?" he asked.

"I'm fading in and out," she confessed. There was a long pause. "I'm still having nightmares. I'm still having a hard time sleeping, you know?" She made a sound, a sort of half-laugh. "You must think I'm some kind of freak."

"Not at all; I think it's normal. I'd be more concerned if you weren't," he told her. He was still stroking her hair.

"Do you think everyone can tell?" she asked.

"Probably not – you've done a really good job acting normal," he told her. She chuckled.

"Normal…what is normal?" she pondered.

"I have no idea, Serena; I've never fit the bill," he told her.

"That's probably why we're so close," she yawned.

"If it's any consolation, you aren't even _half_ as fucked up as your mother," he told her. She laughed.

"Well thank God for small miracles.'

"If I never see her again, it'll be too soon," Dean informed her.

"I usually feel like that after she leaves," she yawned.

"You should try and get some sleep; the next week for you is going to be rough."

"Thanks for staying. First night in a new place, with the nightmares…I just kind of needed you here." She readjusted herself, draping her arm over his stomach. She yawned. "I like having you close by. I feel safe with you close by," she confessed. A huge yawn overtook her. Serena found her eyelids were getting heavy again. Dean took her hand and brought it to his lips. It was the last thing she remembered; she dozed off again.

Dean exhaled; sleep was eluding him in the worst way. There was a familiar, dark and ominous feeling in the pit of his stomach. He knew it all too well; he was waiting for disaster to strike. He'd been happy for a little too long. In pro wrestling, it was constantly said that he could touch anything and turn it to gold. In his personal life, however, Dean always had the feeling that everything in his fingertips turned to brass.

He fell asleep at around two-fifteen in the morning, curled up against Serena, who had rolled away from him at around one. He rested his head against hers and before he knew it, he was asleep. He could think of worse places to fall asleep. He'd found worse places to fall asleep in his years on the road.

At around five in the morning, his cell phone rang. "What the fuck?" he murmured, groaning as he stretched out. Serena stirred and stretched, her eyes opening as she yawned. Dean sat up, letting the blanket fall away, revealing his bare chest. He answered his phone. "This had better be an emergency," he growled. He listened, the scowl disappearing from his face. Serena sat up. She recognized the look that had taken over his eyes.

It was concern.

"What…is he all right?" he asked. He fell silent again, getting what answers he needed. "Are you sure it's him?"

There was more silence as Dean listened to the caller. "Okay, man, thanks for letting me know." Dean hit the end call button on his cell phone and put it down on the nightstand. He turned to Serena, who now looked wide awake. "Serena, you have to promise me you aren't going to panic."

"What's wrong?" she asked, her face conveying confusion, her tone firm. He sighed, running a hand over his head. "Dean, tell me what's wrong!"

"That was Roman," Dean told her. "Seth got hit by a car this morning."

"What? How?" Serena felt the sharp pang of panic slice through her. "Is he all right?"

"He was meeting Roman for their morning jog and Roman saw the whole thing. It was a hit and run, Serena." She cupped a hand over her mouth. "I don't know all the details; all I know is he's alive and at the hospital."

"We need to get to the hospital," Serena told him, throwing back the covers. She went to one of her clothing boxes and rifled through it for something to wear. Dean got up, sliding the T-shirt he had discarded on the floor over his head and reaching for his jeans. "Did Roman see the car?"

"I have no idea, Serena."

"I'm sorry. Oh, my God, Seth…"

"I know, Serena." With her clothing clutched tightly in her hand, she hugged Dean tight and fought the urge to cry. He rubbed her back soothingly. "I know."


	30. Chapter 30

The elevator opened with a soft _ding_. Serena burst through the doors like a bat out of Hell, halfway down the hallway before Dean had even stepped foot onto the floor. She was dressed in a baggy pair of white capris and a black V-necked shirt, her hair thrown back in a messy bun that did nothing to hide the '8' shaped scar on the back of her neck. The entire drive, she had been nervous and agitated, fidgeting as she stared out the window, doing her damnedest not to ask _the question_: are we there yet?

It didn't take Dean long to catch up to her. She came to a stop at the receptionist's desk, drumming her fingernails nervously on the grey surface. The receptionist looked to be about fifty, dressed in a matronly floral smock, her greying brown hair pinned back with a glimmering clip. She looked away from her computer to Serena, making a face of distaste when her brown eyes rested on Serena's hair. Serena didn't even care; she was too worried about Seth and Roman to care what anybody thought of her or her appearance.

"I'm here to see my friend, Seth Rollins," Serena told her urgently. "He was hit by a car."

"Visiting hours…" she started, but Serena cut her off.

"Please. I need to see him. I have to know he's okay," Serena begged.

"Serena!"

She turned to see Roman standing in the hallway, still dressed in his workout gear. He looked visibly tired. His hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, to keep it out of his face while he was jogging. Serena disregarded the receptionist and barreled towards Roman, hugging him tightly. He hugged her back just as tight, the two of them rocking back and forth. "You have no idea how much I need one of these right now," he told her.

"What happened, Roman?"

"I saw everything from the corner store. I was waiting for him. I looked up in time to see the car barrel at him. It could have stopped if it wanted to; it was far enough away. It sped up. Whoever was in the car didn't even stop to check on him. Just sped off," he added. "I ran over to him and I called nine-one-one. He was unconscious, but he was still breathing." He wasn't letting Serena go.

"What's the damage?" Dean asked. He was struggling to keep his emotions in check; fighting the urge to go out and do something stupid. Dean knew if his emotions got away from him, he would make everything worse, and nobody needed that. Roman was distracted, though; Dean could tell he was seeing Seth getting hit with the car over and over again. He was stricken and affected in a way that Dean and Serena had only seen once before. "Roman."

"They said he broke a leg and an arm and he has a pretty bad concussion. Thank God he's alive; it looked brutal," Roman told them. "He's going to recover, but he's out of action for God knows how long."

"Has anybody called Vince?" Serena asked. Roman nodded.

"I called. They won't let me see him. They said visiting hours don't start until ten. The police are supposed to get here pretty quick to ask me some questions. I'm not supposed to go anywhere."

"Have you eaten?" Serena asked. Roman shook his head. She turned to Dean. "Can you run to the cafeteria and get something for him?" Dean nodded. Roman reached into his back pocket for his wallet, but Dean put up a hand.

"I got this," he told him. "Just sit down and breathe, all right?"

Serena led Roman to some chairs and sat down beside him. He rested his head in his hands and exhaled. "Thank God you were there, Roman," she told him, putting a reassuring hand on his back. She rubbed it soothingly as he tried to get his nerves under control. The tremors in his hand reminded her of Wade after the fire, the way he couldn't even hold a pen in his hand. "You probably saved Seth's life."

"I can't get my head around this," Roman told her. "I mean, it's Seth – he's a goofball. Who'd want to hurt him?" Serena blinked.

"Do you think this was done on purpose? That Seth was a target?" she asked.

"I don't know what I'm thinking, Serena," he confessed.

"Roman Reigns?"

He looked up. Serena's eyes followed Roman's gaze. "Hello, Hoolihan," Serena greeted.

"Hello, Ms. Lords. How are you doing?"

"I'm holding up all right," she answered.

"Trouble seems to follow you, doesn't it?" he observed, pulling up a chair and sitting down across from them.

"It just seems to know where I am most of the time," Serena told him. He nodded, reaching into his breast pocket and pulling out a notepad and a pen. He asked Roman to spare no detail, to tell him everything he had seen. As Roman filled him in, Dean returned with coffee and a breakfast sandwich for Roman. He thanked Dean, who sat down beside Serena and took her hand in his.

"I got a picture of the car," Roman told Hoolihan, pulling his cell phone out of his pocket. "I got a couple. The quality might not be good, but you guys might be able to get a license plate number off of them."

"That was some smart thinking, Mr. Reigns," Hoolihan told him. Roman instructed him how to rifle through the pictures and handed him the phone. Hoolihan jotted down what he could; the make, the model and the license plate number. When he was finished, he handed the phone back to Roman. "How is he doing?" he asked.

"Injured, but alive," Roman told him. "The doctors are expecting he'll recover with no real damage."

"I'm glad to hear that." He stood. "We'll start looking for the vehicle."

The elevator doors opened. Seth's parents came out onto the floor. Serena caught eyes with his mother and she rushed over to them. Serena had only met Seth's parents once, at _WrestleMania_ when Seth, Dean and Roman had made their debut. She stood and they hugged. She hugged Seth. "How's my son?"

"He'll be all right," Roman told her, shaking hands with Seth's father. "He's got a few broken bones and a concussion, but the doctors are saying he's going to pull through it. Seth's a tough guy."

"What happened?" he asked Roman.

"It was a hit and run," Hoolihan told them. He pulled out his cell phone. "Mr. Reigns here was quick enough on the draw that he got photos of the car." He walked away to take the call, to put out an APB on the black car that had mowed Seth down at the crosswalk. Dean slid his hand into Serena's and gave it a squeeze.

"I don't understand who would want to hurt my boy," Mrs. Rollins sniffled.

"It's a hit and run. There's a chance it could have been a random act of violence," Serena told her. But they were all guilty of having the thought that somebody had it out for Seth. Serena's past had made her paranoid, especially when the people close to her got hurt.

Seth's parents sought out the doctor, who let them see Seth. Serena sat down in the waiting room with Dean and Roman. It was still hours away from visiting hours starting, but they weren't going anywhere. Dean knew Serena wouldn't be able to function until she saw Seth and knew he was all right.

The hours passed by slowly. Seth's parents had to leave to speak with doctors and talk to the police, but they assured Serena, Dean and Roman he was all right before they left. Serena refused to go until she saw him for herself. Dean held her hand, she held Roman's.

At five minutes to ten, the doctor finally took mercy on them and let them visit with Seth. As soon as he gave the directions to his room, Serena was already barreling down the hallway. "She's been scared to death," Dean explained. Roman nodded. The two of them followed her.

Her eyes rested on Seth in the hospital bed, one of his legs propped up. His eyes rested on Serena and lit up. "Hey! My mom said you guys were here," he greeted. Serena rushed into the room and hugged him. He winced. She pulled back quickly, a look of panic in her eyes. "It's all right. I'm just hurting all over."

"I'm just so glad you're okay," she told him. Tears were welling up in her eyes.

"Don't cry. I'm fine. They have me on enough painkillers to knock over an elephant," he told her. "I'm not feeling a whole hell of a lot right now." Dean and Roman appeared in the doorway. "Hey, guys."

"You look like shit," Dean observed.

"Far from feeling it now," Seth told him with a grin. "Morphine's a hell of a drug."

"Did you see who was in the driver's seat?" Dean asked. Seth shook his head.

"I had my headphones in," he confessed. "I wasn't paying attention. I didn't see anything until it was too late. Roman said he shouted at me, but I didn't hear him." Serena and Dean nodded; they both knew Seth was a die-hard heavy metal fan and liked his music at a nuclear volume. He wouldn't have heard an A-bomb detonate.

"The important thing is you're alive," Dean told him. "You had us scared to death."

Seth looked at Serena, who still looked like she was on the brink of tears. "Hey – don't cry. I'm okay." Dean put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Bones heal, right?" Serena nodded. "They're just going to keep me overnight to monitor my head and then I should be out tomorrow. I'm going to go stay with Roman while I'm one armed and one legged."

"That's a good idea. I was going to ask what was going to happen when you got out," Serena replied.

"Roman offered, so I'm going to take him up on it. I'm going to be off for at least two months. Vince has got to be pissed." Everyone in the room shook their heads.

"I'm sure he's more relieved that you weren't hurt any worse than you are," Serena assured him. "I'm so sorry this happened to you."

"Don't. It's not your fault," he told her. "Nobody had any way of knowing this was going to happen."

"Seth's right, Serena," Dean told her gently. "He's going to be all right. You're a tough old bastard, am I right?"

"We're all crazy SOBs," Seth told him. "Look at the life we've chosen."

"Seth, can we get you anything?"

"I could really use some good food," Seth told them. "I've stayed at this hospital before, and they even know how to screw up ice cream. The morphine's making me nauseous, but the food's going to make me sick. I'll probably need a change of clothes, too; the police took my clothing for evidence."

"We'll stop and get you something for lunch," Serena promised him. "We can stop and get you something to wear out of here tomorrow, too."

"The next time the nurse comes around, I'll get her to take you for my personal effects," Seth replied. He sighed. "Thanks, you guys. I have no idea what I'd do without the three of you."

"We're a family," Serena told him. "It's what we do for each other."

They stayed a little longer and talked with Seth. The nurse came around, a petite raven-haired woman with dark eyes. She took them for Seth's keys. Roman opted to stay with Seth while Serena and Dean went to run the errands Seth needed done. They went to the elevator to go back down to the lobby. Once the doors closed, Dean slipped his hand into Serena's and squeezed it gently. She flashed him a smile that broke his jaded heart.

Together they walked out of the hospital hand in hand. She was silent for most of the trip. Dean could tell she was devastated about the turn of events. Just knowing that somebody would hurt Seth and not care…she couldn't wrap her mind around it. Known for being a man who could weave words off the top of his head, Dean was surprised to find he had nothing to say. There was nothing he could say that would have made Serena feel better and he knew it.

The first stop was Seth's house. Dean curbed the car and they got out, walking up to the front door. Dean had a comforting hand on her spine as they walked up the driveway. She had to try every key until she found the one that unlocked the door. "It feels weird being in here without Seth," she confessed. They went to his bedroom. Dean grabbed a backpack and filled it up with one pair of socks, underwear, black jeans and a Shield T-shirt.

Serena's phone went off. It was AJ. _Just heard about Seth; is he all right?_

"Who is it?" Dean asked as he zipped up the backpack.

"AJ," Serena answered. "She heard about Seth."

"Word travels fast," Dean snorted. He gathered some of Seth's toiletries, like deodorant, his brush and an elastic band for his hair and his toothbrush. Serena sat down at the foot of Seth's bed. Another text had arrived; this time from CM Punk, followed by one from Damien Sandow.

_Seth's fine. A couple broken bones and a concussion, but he'll be all right, _she assured them, sending off the news in a mass text. She stood, following Dean out of the house. They made sure to lock up the house before returning to Dean's car. Serena got in the passenger's side. Damien sent a text. She smiled. It was so full of big words that it came to her in three installments. She sent her reply and rested her head against her hand.

"Are you going to be okay, Serena?"

"I'll feel a lot better when Seth is back to a hundred percent," she replied. Dean nodded. He felt a familiar pang, a long-forgotten urge to have a cigarette. It had been a long time, he realized. First it was for show, back in the independent scene. Then it had become a way for him to relieve stress. He seldom smoked. He hadn't realized that he was feeling stress. He turned up the volume on the music in the car and exhaled, running his free hand through his hair as they drove to a café to get Seth some soup. Serena ran next door to get Seth a few small bottles of ginger ale to keep his stomach settled. Dean watched her from his place in line, watched her disappear into the convenience store. He looked at the menu after she went inside, deciding on the chicken noodle soup for Seth. By the time Serena emerged from the store, Dean already had the soup and crackers in a paper bag, complete with a plastic spoon and some napkins. They got back in the car. Before he even started the ignition, he leaned over and placed his lips over hers.

"Everything's going to be okay, Serena," he assured her. "They'll find whoever did this."

"I hope so," she told him.

"If they don't, Serena, Roman and I will," he promised. With that said, he started the ignition and they were back on their way to the hospital.


	31. Chapter 31

After the show, Serena was packing up her things alone in the office. There were rumors going around backstage that Vince was absolutely livid about the situation with Seth Rollins, so he kept Dean and Roman off TV for the week until he could figure out what to do. Serena didn't see Vince all night, so she wasn't sure if it was true. If the rumors were true, though, Serena was thankful she hadn't run into Vince.

The time had dragged slowly for Serena. During what breaks she had, she texted Seth to check up and see how he was doing. He was settled in at Roman's house, laid up on the couch under the watchful eye of Roman's sister. Even though she knew he was okay, Serena still wanted to cry at the entire situation. The police had found the car, abandoned seven miles away from where Seth was hit. The inside had been thoroughly vacuumed; the police weren't able to obtain much evidence from inside the car.

"Hey, Serena, how are you holding up?"

Serena turned to see Kaitlyn, AJ, Dolph and Damien standing around her. They were all freshly showered and ready to go. Damien and Kaitlyn held water bottles in their hands. AJ was still dressed in her cut-up Love Bites T-shirt and jean shorts. She sighed. "I'm all right. Seth's all settled in at Roman's."

"Do the police have any leads?" Kaitlyn asked.

"Not many outside of the abandoned car," Serena confessed. "I'm trying to be optimistic that they're going to find whoever did this, but apparently the inside was thoroughly washed and vacuumed. I mean, who does that?"

"It's sounding like it wasn't a random act of violence," Kaitlyn observed. Serena nodded.

"Who'd want to hurt Seth Rollins, though?" Dolph asked.

"I know. It doesn't make sense." Serena sighed. "All I want to do is cry."

Damien hugged her. "Everything will work itself out, Serena. You just have to trust our legal system."

"I'm trying, Damien," she told him with a sniffle. She sighed. "He looked so helpless in that hospital room, you guys, all propped up and with casts. He doesn't deserve this. Nobody deserves this. I can't believe he's staying in such high spirits considering somebody tried to kill him."

"How are Roman and Dean?" Kaitlyn asked, hugging Serena. She exhaled.

"Roman's devastated," she said. "He saw everything. He's traumatized, but he's thankful he was there to help."

"And Dean?" Dolph asked. Serena ran a hand through her hair.

"He's angry. He's doing his best to keep himself under control, but I can see it in his eyes. He thinks nobody can see it, but I can see it. He want's someone's head on a spike. I feel the same way, too, to be honest. Maybe I see it because the look in our eyes are so similar." She took a breath to steady herself, to prevent herself from crying. "I'm just so…_angry_."

"That is completely natural, Serena," Damien assured her.

"Where's Dean and Roman?" AJ asked.

"Vince called an emergency meeting with creative about what to do now that Seth is going to be out for a few months. He asked Dean and Roman to sit in on the meeting and help them come up with something. Everyone's running around back here like chickens with their head cut off and no one knows what to do. Dean and Roman don't even know."

"Did you want to catch a ride with us?" Dolph offered. Serena shook her head.

"Thanks for the offer, guys, but Dean should be out of the meeting in the next couple minutes. We're just going to go back to the hotel and try to de-stress."

"If you need anything, give us a shout," Dolph told her. Serena nodded. With more hugs, they said their goodbyes and left Serena. She sat down on the trainer's table and looked at the clock on the wall. The meeting was running long, but Serena knew this was important; The Shield was an important part of the WWE roster, and a monkey wrench had been thrown into Vince's long-term plans. They needed to figure things out.

There was a knock on the wall. Serena turned her head to find Wade standing in the doorway. He was dressed in a lavender button-down shirt that was buttoned from the second down. He looked well put-together. Serena rolled her eyes. "What are you still doing here, Wade?" she asked, her voice missing energy.

"Meeting with Cesaro and Lanza," Wade told her. There was a long awkward beat. "Can I come in?"

"It's a free country, Wade – you can do whatever you want."

He walked into the room. "I heard about Seth." Serena nodded. "Is there anything I can do, love?"

"No. But thanks for the offer," Serena told him.

"I've always liked Seth," Wade told Serena, approaching the trainer's table and sitting down beside her. Serena shifted a little to allow him onto the table. "How is he doing?"

"He's doing all right. Better than I am," Serena said with a bitter laugh.

"Were you there?" he asked. Serena shook her head.

"Roman was. They were out for their morning jog," Serena told him. He draped an arm over her shoulder and gave her a half-hearted hug. "I'm all right."

"Where's lover-boy?" Wade asked. Serena shot him a glare. "Sorry, love – I meant it in jest. Really."

"He's in a creative meeting with Roman and Vince," Serena answered.

"How are things?" he asked. "I noticed you moved."

"Yeah; apartments really aren't good when the neighbors are nosy," Serena told him. She looked at him. The clock said it was well after midnight. "Is that why you're here? You wanted to ask me where I moved to?"

"That and I did want to see how Seth is doing,' Wade confessed. "You may think I'm a royal dick, Serena, but I'm not so big of an ass that I don't care about other people."

"I don't think you're a dick," Serena told him quietly.

"You've sure been acting like it," Wade snorted.

"What do you want me to say, Wade? You've changed. You're so angry now. I can see it in your eyes and in your movements. You might not realize it, but you've let what happened dictate your life.'

"Is that it? Are you afraid of me?" he asked.

"I'm not afraid of you," she told him. "I'm afraid of the road you're on."

"I'm fine, Serena."

"Are you?" He opened his mouth to insist again, but he clamped it shut. She knew. She had been down the same road before, twice. He knew she was still very much affected by killing her tormentor, from being alone in the woods with a deranged killer after her. The scars were a constant reminder that she was a survivor and not a victim. He could assure her he was okay all he wanted, but she knew all about surviving trauma. She knew he wasn't all right.

"I'm still having issue wrapping my mind around things, love," he confessed. "Just such evil and chaos."

"Don't think about that," Serena told him. "I know it's easier said than done, but the world isn't all bad."

"Serena…"

"I just want to see you get back to normal," Serena told him. "That's all I've ever wanted for you."

"You care about me," he teased.

"I never said I didn't," Serena told him. "You're my friend."

Wade went to put his hand over hers, but she moved it out of the way. At that moment, Dean showed up in the doorway. His eyes narrowed when they rested on Wade. "Sorry about the meeting running long, Serena. I see you had company, though." She nodded. He trusted her. He didn't trust Wade. "Are you ready to head back to the hotel? Roman's waiting in the car."

"Yeah, I'm ready to go," Serena told him, sliding off the trainer's table and retrieving her bag. Slinging it over her shoulder, she looked at Wade. "Think about what I said," she told him gently. He nodded. There was something in his eyes she couldn't place, a sense of loss, a sense of something else that she wasn't sure of. Dean put a gentle hand on her forearm and she followed him out.

"Is everything okay?" he asked. She nodded.

"He was just asking about Seth," Serena replied, readjusting her bag over her shoulder.

"How is he? I know you've been texting him," he told her.

"He's doing all right. He's in better spirits than I am," she said with a laugh. Dean turned into Serena, grabbing her head gently, pressing his lips against hers. It caught her completely by surprise. She sighed into the kiss, her hands gripping his jacket-covered arms. When Dean pulled back, she tried to catch her breath. "What was that for?" she asked.

"You looked like you could use one," he told her with a grin. They walked towards the parking lot. Roman was leaning against the car, arms crossed over his chest.

"How was the meeting?" she asked, approaching.

"Interesting," Roman told her. He got into the driver's side. Dean opened the car door for Serena. She cocked an eyebrow at him, but got into the car, buckling her seatbelt as Dean closed her in and got into the passenger's seat. She was thankful she had stopped for some ice cream before checking into her hotel.


	32. Chapter 32

_**Hey guys - here's another chapter for you. I know it's kind of filler, but I promise the next chapter is going to be intense. Thank you to everybody who is reading and reviewing and getting alerts. I appreciate all the attention this story has received. I hope you're all having a beautiful day.**_

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He made an unfamiliar sound as she ran her hands through his hair, around his head and resting against the back of his neck. Her lips were against his, soft and timid, unsure of how far to push it with him. He groaned, his hands tugging at the zipper of her hooded jacket, slowly bringing it down to reveal her white T-shirt. His hands came to a rest on her waist. He kissed her back, increasing the intensity. Her fingertips danced along the back of his neck, making him shiver against her. Her right hand moved around his neck, coming to a rest on his chest. His tongue poked at her closed mouth. To his surprise, her lips parted. He took full advantage. The sound she made against his lips made his every muscle twitch.

Serena's head was swimming. Her entire body felt warm, like she was going to ignite into a fireball. Finally, Dean pulled back, resting his forehead against Serena's. "Jesus Christ, Serena," he breathed. "I wasn't expecting _that_."

They had stayed in Roman's room to watch a movie with him before they went back to their hotel room. Normally Dean liked to room alone, but considering he was always staying with Serena or vice versa, he decided they may as well just room together. Serena was all right with it; everybody knew they were dating, so they had nothing to hide. Dean hadn't even had time to take his shoes off before she had laid the mother of all kisses on him. He felt unsteady and heady. Dean had been restraining himself, trying his best not to scare her away or make her uncomfortable, but she was starting to make it clear that she wasn't as fragile as he thought. "I'm sorry," she breathed.

"You have nothing to be sorry about," he told her, pressing his lips against hers. She kissed him back, her kiss hungry and urgent. Dean put his hands on her shoulders and settled her. "Serena…"

She brushed a strand of hair out of his face. It came back into place. With one fluid movement of her hand she touched his face, using her thumb to rub his cheek. He would never admit it, but he was always touched by the small things she did. Like the way she always tried to brush the one strand of hair out of his eyes. Even though it never stayed in place, she always did it. He looked into her light blue eyes, a smile tugging at his lips. His finger touched the scar at the juncture of her neck. He ran his finger gently over the thin, ropey slash. Then he replaced his fingers with his lips. Serena felt herself flush.

"I don't want to rush this," he told her. He had a good idea where things were going to head if he didn't say something. He would have been lying if he said he didn't want it, but he knew Serena was still reeling from a myriad of things, including what happened to Seth. Serena was special, and he didn't intend on doing anything with her until it felt right. Unfortunately, for him, it wasn't the right moment. He ran his hand through her hair. His breath was still catching. Hers was, too. The sexual tension in the air was thick. Dean knew if it wasn't diffused soon, that he was going to take her. He didn't want it to be in a hotel room on the road, with his co-workers and friends next door. But she was testing his willpower in the worst way, and she probably didn't even realize it. Thankfully, she nodded.

"I'm going to get myself some ice cream," she told him. "Did you want any?"

"I'll be fine," he told her, giving her a kiss on the forehead. "I'm going to hop in the shower and then call it a night. I figure if we're lucky we can get about four hours of sleep before we have to get up and go to the next town."

"Okay." Serena was surprised to find she was exhausted. Dean disappeared into the bathroom. In minutes she could hear the water running. She went to the freezer and yawned, deciding at the last moment that she would rather sleep than eat the small pint of Ben & Jerry's she had picked up. She went to her bag and got her pajamas, changing into them and climbing into bed. She was out the second her head hit the pillow.

Dean came out of the bathroom about twenty minutes later, dressed in nothing but a pair of boxers. He saw Serena in bed, her breathing slow and even. He exhaled and tried to steady his thoughts. Dean climbed into bed beside her, curling up against her and resting his head against hers. He loved her; at this point, he couldn't imagine life without her, Seth and Roman around. They were a unit, a family. When one got hurt, the others rallied around. Even with Seth and Roman picking on him, Dean knew he wouldn't rather be anywhere else.

He fell asleep quickly. Next week, WWE shows were going to take place in Miami, not far from where most of the roster lived. He was excited about a couple extra nights at home. Seth was talking about visiting backstage, something that was welcomed amongst the entire roster. Seth was well-liked, considered a loveable man-child by most of the roster. Dean was liked, but he was considered moody and aloof. He was, though. He would readily admit it.


	33. Chapter 33

_**Bonus chapter, you guys!**_

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"Come on, everybody – back up! Back up!" Dean shouted at the other Superstars, Divas and referees in the cafeteria. Alicia was hanging off Wade's arm, but Serena was too distracted with the pressing matter at hand to care. AJ had her hand cupped over her mouth, her face contorted with horror, her other hand gripping big E's big bicep. Layla had her head burrowed in Randy Orton's chest, ugly and strangled sobs escaping her lips. There was a loud buzz in the air. Dean and Roman were trying to act as crowd control in the little area. Cody was kneeling across from Serena, his light eyes wide with terror. He was clasping Damien's hand tightly. "Give them some room!" Dean barked.

"Damien…come on, Damien, stay with me," Serena cooed. His eyes were starting to close. She slapped him on the cheek lightly a few times. He groaned, his eyes opening only slightly. Then he started heaving. "Cody, I need you to help me roll him onto his side." With a nod – and some assistance from Dean – they rolled Damien onto his side, in time for him to vomit all over the floor. Serena noticed there was blood in his vomit. Bad sign.

Cody noticed it, too. "Somebody go get an ambulance!" he screamed. Out of the corner of her eye, Serena saw Chris Jericho and Natalya take off. Serena stroked Damien's hair, fighting the urge to cry, begging him to stay awake. It felt like there was a huge run of bad luck amongst her and her friends. She wished the streak would snap.

Everything had seemed normal five minutes before. Damien, Dean, Seth, Roman, Serena and Cody had been eating dinner. Serena had given Damien her vitamin water because he forgot to grab a bottle and didn't want to get up after getting comfortable. They were making fun of Seth. Serena split a cookie with Cody. Everything had seemed normal. Damien had chugged the drink, thanking Serena for saving him another trip to the catering table, but he was sure he'd need another one. When he got up, he instantly swayed. Serena's eyes had narrowed. He shook it off, took a step and then went down. The entire room went up the second Damien hit the ground. Serena almost fell out of her seat, scrambling to him. His skin was cold and clammy to the touch. She had never seen it happen so quickly; an extreme temperature drop.

"Come on, Damien, stay with me," she begged, trying to keep the edge of fear out of her voice. "Don't close your eyes. Look at Cody. Stay with us." She looked up at the crowd. "I need something, like a shirt or a jacket or something to put under his head. If he has a seizure, I don't want to risk him hitting his head." Shirts were flying at her quickly. Dean, Dolph and Wade had pulled off their shirts and threw them at Serena. AJ had thrown her cardigan. Serena bundled them up and put them under Damien's head. She heard Layla's sobs grow louder. "Randy, get her out of here," Serena said without even looking at him. She put the shirts under Damien's head. She tried to get him to speak, to find out what the symptoms were, but all he could do was groan. He was out of it. Even asking him to react to her questions was impossible. Damien started to convulse. Cody went to grab him, but Serena batted his hands away.

"Serena, what's happening?" he demanded.

"I don't know what's going on!" Serena told him, exasperated. She felt a sudden surge of irritation rip through her. "Goddamn it, where the _fuck _are the EMTs already? Jesus Christ!" There was a beat. "Cody, how are his eyes?"

"They're rolling into the back of his head." Serena ran a hand through her hair.

Just as she was about to open her mouth and let out a stream of panicked four-letter words, the EMTs arrived with a gurney. "What's going on?" one of them asked, a bulky guy with spiky brown hair. Vince, Stephanie and Triple H were in tow, their eyes widened with concern as they watched Damien having a seizure on the floor.

"I don't know. We were eating and then he wasn't feeling well and then he was down," Serena told them. "If this is food poisoning, I've never seen it happen so fast. I've never seen it like _this_." She was babbling, she knew, but she was scared to death that Damien was going to die on the catering floor. Cody rushed to Serena, hugging her as they watched the EMTs wait out Damien's convulsions before loading him onto the gurney. She looked at Cody, who was on the verge of tears. "Are you wrestling tonight?" she asked. He shook his head. "Go with them."

Cody nodded. As they wheeled him away, Cody followed. "Cody!" she called out. He turned to her. "You keep me posted, Cody. Don't you even _think _about keeping me out of the loop!" she told him firmly.

"I won't," he promised. With that, they were gone. Serena felt her knees buckle and she sank to the ground. Dean rushed to her, gathering her up in his arms. Vince and Triple H watched her weep on the ground. Dean didn't bother retrieving his shirt; it was ruined and he had a million more Shield T-shirts lying around. Serena was thankful the tears hadn't started until after the situation was over.

"He'll be all right, Serena," Dean assured her, though he wasn't feeling so sure himself. The room had become somber and silent. Wade approached, kneeling down beside Serena.

"Are you gonna be all right, love?" he asked gently.

"I don't even know," she confessed. Seth hobbled over to them. Roman followed.

"Serena, do you need to talk to someone?" Vince asked. Serena looked up into his concerned brown eyes and shook her head. "Are you sure, Serena?"

"I'll be fine," she promised. "But somebody should go check on Layla."

"I'll go," Natalya told her. Serena nodded. There was a long silence.

"Are you happy now, Serena?"

Serena looked up to see Alicia Fox standing by the Bella twins, Kane and Daniel Bryan, her hands on her hips. Wade looked at his ex-girlfriend, his eyes narrowing. "Now is hardly the time, Alicia…"

"It's exactly the time," Alicia told him angrily. "Serena Lords is the kiss of death on this locker room! Look at Damien – he could die! Look at Seth – he could have died! You and Roman were left for dead and Dean was stabbed! Everything goes to Hell when she's around, and you all know I'm right!"

"There's no reason to think that Serena had anything to do with what happened to Damien and I," Seth informed her angrily. He maneuvered himself so he could put a reassuring hand on Serena's shoulder. Dean looked at Serena, his blue eyes flaming red-hot with anger.

"Maybe you should do us all a favor and keep your mouth shut about things you know nothing about," he told her darkly. "You know what, I'm just going to ask it: if you hate Serena so goddamn much, why are you so concerned about her business?" he demanded.

"She doesn't belong here," Alicia told him, her fists clenched at her sides.

"And who are you to make that call?" Dean asked her.

"Your judgment is clouded," Alicia told him angrily. "She doesn't belong here. You're all ignorant to think otherwise. Is it going to take somebody on the roster dying before you figure out she should be off the grid and out of our lives forever? Is it going to take Wade being attacked? What's it going to take to make you people see that she's fucking _toxic?"_

"Alicia, I'm warning you – you're on thin ice," Dean told her darkly.

"Oh, what are you going to do?" she challenged. "Make your empty threats, Dean – mark my words, you'll all see that she should be kept far away from human contact. I can see it in her eyes – she knows I'm right. Do us a favor, Serena: get out now. Leave us alone. Go live off in the mountains somewhere, far away from Wade and Dean and the people who keep getting hurt because _nobody likes you_!"

Vince and Triple H were stunned at Alicia's outburst. Dean was scowling. Wade was looking at his ex-girlfriend as if he were seeing her for the first time. There was a quiet defiance in Serena's eyes. She stood, trying to steel herself as best she could, but Alicia's words had found its desired target. "Why don't you do us all a favor and practice what you preach," Serena told her, her words firm, angry. "Be A Star, Alicia."

"Oh, you bitch!" Alicia snarled. She lunged, only to be caught by Daniel Bryan, who barely got a good grip on her. The Bella twins went to their friends' defense, but Roman and Kane kept them at bay. Dean and Wade were holding onto Serena. "I'll rip every hair out of your head, so help me God!"

"Stop talking and just do it!" Serena shouted. "I am so sick of you pushing me around!" She looked at Wade and Dean. "Let me go. I'm fine. I'm not going to do anything. I'm a _professional_."

"Oh, you…" Alicia lunged again. Dean looked at Vince.

"Are you guys really going to stand for this?" he asked incredulously.

"Alicia, my office," Vince told her. "_Now_. Bella twins, too." Dean, Wade and Roman formed a protective barrier around Serena as Alicia, Brie and Nikki followed Vince away. Daniel shot Serena a look of embarrassment. Serena wished the floor would open up and swallow her whole. Triple H approached them.

"Serena, take the rest of the night off," Hunter told her. Serena blinked.

"Am I in trouble?"

"No, Serena, you aren't," he assured her. "But everything is in chaos and it's probably best if you took the rest of the night." Serena took that as a condemnation, of confirmation that Alicia's words had struck a chord with people. Tears began to prick at her lashes, began to burn behind her eyelids. She nodded. Turning, she pushed past Wade and Roman and stormed off, determined not to let anybody see her cry.


	34. Chapter 34

Serena sat alone in the hospital waiting room, crying softly into a Styrofoam cup of watery tea. In her entire life, she had never felt so condemned, despised and isolated. She felt like she deserved it, that Alicia was right about her needing to go and live off in the middle of nowhere, away from the ones she loved. She was drowning in a black sea of self-pity, and she didn't really care. Alicia's words had hit their intended target, but Hunter's reaction and Vince's delay in laying out consequences to Alicia made her feel insignificant and unwanted, compounded on the other negative feelings she felt. She looked at her haggard reflection in her tea and wondered if life was going to get any better.

She had told Wade that life was beautiful. Part of her still believed it, but she was starting to feel crushed beneath the weight of evil that followed her like a bad storm cloud. Instead of going home after Hunter dismissed her, she had texted Cody to find out where they had taken Damien. He told her they were running tests, but he had no new information. She went straight to the hospital. It felt like it had been hours since she had arrived. She watched the people come and go in the waiting room. The time to think was torture; Serena didn't even realize that she had started crying until she saw a teardrop land in her tea.

"Serena."

She looked up to see Cody standing in front of her with a warm smile on his face. She put her tea down and practically leapt into his arms, hugging him tightly. She sobbed into his chest, in spite of her best efforts to keep herself in check. Cody stroked her hair, his eyes conveying confusion and awkwardness. He had never been good with crying women. "Hey, hey – Damien's going to be okay, Serena," he assured her gently. "They ran some tests and they figured it out and he's stabilized, Serena. Don't cry. It was touch and go for the last hour and a half, but he's going to be okay. Don't cry; you're too beautiful to be crying, Serena. Don't cry."

Serena pulled away from him, wiping her tears away with her hands, not caring that it smudged her eyeliner. "I'm sorry, Cody. What did they find?"

"Let's take this outside. I don't want to talk about this in front of people," he told her. She nodded and followed him through the doors. "The good news is that he's going to recover with no damage. He's very, very lucky to be alive, Serena."

"Is he conscious?" she asked. He shook his head.

"Not yet. They're thinking it could be a few hours. In the meantime they're running more tests." There was a long beat. He ran a hand over his head. "Serena, I can't pronounce what the doctor told me, but they found a huge amount of drugs in his system."

Serena blinked. "They found _what_? How is that even possible?"

"I don't know, Serena, but they found enough to kill a horse," Cody told her. "It was a close call. Any longer, and Damien could have been a vegetable, or worse."

"Damien doesn't do drugs," she said. She couldn't wrap her mind around the new developments. "How did they get into his system?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, Serena," he told her. She ran a hand through her hair.

"Cody, I'm so sorry."

"This isn't your fault, Serena. Don't think like that," Cody told her, but she could tell he had floated the thought in a fleeting moment of panic. She wasn't going to hold it against him. "I know you – you'd never hurt us, you'd never hurt Damien. Nobody can convince me otherwise." He looked at the clock on his cell phone. "What are you doing here anyway? The show isn't done for another hour."

"Hunter sent me home. Alicia came after me, and I guess they agreed with her," she said glumly. Cody put an arm around her shoulder.

"Well, forget about them. I know differently," he told her. "You've never been anything but a sweetheart."

"He's really going to be okay?"

"He's going to be fine. I'm going to head back up there and sit by his bedside. Did you want to come with me?" Serena nodded. They went back into the hospital, to the elevators.

"It's good to see Seth," Cody commented. Serena nodded.

"The casts come off in the next two months," Serena replied.

"I know it's easier said than done, Serena, but forget about Alicia Fox."

"She said I'm an omen, Cody," she told him with a sigh. "It's hard to argue with that lately."

"She's just a witch," Cody told her. The elevator doors opened and they walked towards Damien's hospital room. "Thank God you were there, Serena. I wouldn't have had an idea what to do."

"I barely had an idea myself, and I'm trained in First Aid," she told him. They walked into the room. The first thing she noticed was how waxy and pale Damien looked, lying in the hospital bed with tubes running every which way.

"They had to pump his stomach to get everything out," he explained. Serena nodded. The sat down on opposite sides of the bed. Serena rested her head in her hand.

"Had Damien been complaining of not feeling well earlier in the night?" she asked. Cody thought about it.

"He mentioned that he thought he had the flu, but he looked fine. Nothing that would make me think things would end up like _this_," he told her. She nodded. She took Damien's clammy hand in hers.

"Why doesn't this surprise me? Hello again, Ms. Lords, it's nice to see you again."

She turned her head to see Hoolihan standing in the doorway. She sighed. "Hello, Officer Hoolihan. Forgive my bad manners last time – how is Florida treating you?"

"It's starting to look a lot like New Jersey," he told her. He walked into the room. "Are you Cody Rhodes?"

Cody nodded. "I am," he answered, shaking hands with him. Serena squeezed Damien's hand gently.

"I've already spoken to the WWE Medical Staff, several executives and the doctor looking over Mr. Sandow," he announced. "Can you guys think of anyone who would want to hurt Mr. Sandow?"

"No. I mean, he's a little bit of a pompous ass at the best of times, but I don't think there's anyone out there that wants to kill him," Cody answered. Serena nodded.

"Ms. Lords, are you allowed to give out prescriptions?" he asked. She looked at him, shocked.

"You are not accusing her of this," Cody told him angrily. "She helped save his life!"

"I'm just looking at every angle," he answered tersely. "Ms. Lords?"

"No. I'm just the assistant. I stretch them out and I practice first aid. I'm not allowed to hand out drugs." He looked at her. She was done with all the accusing eyes and hurtful insinuations. "I'd never hurt Damien."

"Two times in the last two weeks. I don't believe in coincidences."

"Are you accusing me of running over Seth now?" she asked angrily. Cody put his arm around her ribs and kept her back. "How dare you!"

"I'm not accusing you of anything," he told her. "You're awfully defensive."

"She's had a rough night, Detective," Cody informed him. "Her friend almost died."

"You're right," he conceded. Serena was still tense, coiled like a snake ready to strike.

"It's okay, Serena," Cody coaxed her.

"Do you know anything about the drug used?" he asked. Serena shook her head.

"How is your friend doing…Mr. Rowland?"

"Rollins," Serena corrected him firmly. "Seth is doing fine."

He straightened. "If you guys have any additional information, give me a call."

"We will," Cody promised. Hoolihan was staring at her with suspicious eyes. Serena's eyes blazed with anger. She hadn't done anything wrong, and it seemed like everybody was quick to point the finger at her. More and more, Alicia's suggestion of going off the grid was becoming attractive. He left. Serena turned her attention back to Damien. "Jesus, what a dick," Cody murmured.

"He was nice when I was in the hospital," Serena told him. "I met him back in Roselle Park."

"I wonder what he's doing in Florida. It's a long way from Kansas," he said. Serena shrugged.

"I wish I knew," she replied. Serena remembered she left her cell phone in the car, but she didn't want to go get it. "God, I know Damien can be a pain, but I don't understand who would want to do this to him." She reached up and brushed a strand of hair out of his face. His breathing was slow and even. The machines around him beeped. There was an oxygen tube up his nose.

"I'm sorry you got attacked tonight," Cody told her. "I don't understand Alicia's problem with you."

"Wade Barrett."

"Oh." Cody looked at his friend and sighed. "Your life is incredibly complicated, isn't it?"

"Stupidly complicated," Serena told him.

"How are things with Dean?"

"Good. I think we're getting past the awkwardness," Serena told him with a slight laugh. "Cody, I don't know what's going on around here, but please be careful. I don't want to see you like this."

"I appreciate your concern, Serena. I promise you I'll be careful," he assured her.

They made small talk for a few hours. When the show was over, Dolph had texted for word on Damien's condition. Cody gave him an update. Serena yawned as she stare at Damien's sleeping face, horrified by how pale he was. "Did you want to head home, Serena? There's not a whole lot you can do here."

"I'll be fine," she assured him. "I just want to know he's okay."

There was a knock on the door. Serena turned to see Dean standing in the doorway. He had changed into a white T-shirt. His hair was wet from what Serena assumed was his post-match shower. "How's he doing?" Dean asked softly, walking into the room. He took his place behind Serena, putting a hand on her hair.

"He's going to be okay. They're running some tests. He got lucky."

"Someone drugged him, Dean. Somebody wanted to kill him."

"What the fuck?" Dean sighed, running a hand over his head. He sighed, struggling to keep himself in check. "Does anyone know anything? How did this happen?"

"Someone might have slipped it into his water at the gym, or something. I don't know," Cody told him.

"First Seth, now Damien," Dean mused. "Does anyone else have a feeling like this group is being targeted?"

"But what did we do?" Serena asked.

"Do you think it could be someone involved with the Slasher? Or a copycat or something?"

"I don't know," Serena confessed. "But why Damien then?" she asked. "Damien wasn't involved with what happened in Roselle Park. There's no reason for anybody to go after him?"

"Maybe he wasn't the intended target," Dean suggested.

"Make me feel worse," Serena groaned, putting her head in her hands.

"It's just a thought, Serena," he told her.

"Stop blaming yourself, Serena," Cody told her. "You did nothing wrong." There was a beat between the three of them. "Seriously, Serena – you've had a rough night. Go home and get some rest. I'll text you as soon as Damien wakes up, okay?"

"Cody's right," Dean told her. "There's nothing you can do here."

Serena sighed. "You promise?"

"Scout's honor," Cody told her. Serena stood. She hugged him. "Get yourself some rest, Serena."

"You, too," she replied. Dean reached out and took her wrist gently. She stole one last fleeting look at Damien before he completely disappeared from her view.


	35. Chapter 35

_**Hey, guys. Sorry for the lack of updates. I'll try to keep up on it a bit more. It's just been kind of a crazy little bit. **_

* * *

Vince was calling the three weeks he sent Serena home for a "cooling off" period. Serena and Alicia, for opposing reasons, were calling it "bullshit." After a conference call with Vince, Hunter and Stephanie, they decided Serena would benefit from time to settle down, relax and get her head on straight. Vince had pointed out that Serena hadn't really taken time off after her night in the woods, and he knew eventually something was going to give.

Knowing better than to argue with the McMahon family's decision, Serena had slammed down the phone and seethed; her hands shook with unspent anger. Meanwhile, Alicia was still on the road, doing her Be-A-Star charity appearances and preaching to schoolchildren about the importance of standing up to bullies. The entire situation pissed Serena off beyond words. Dean, Seth, Roman and AJ weren't happy about the situation, either, but they knew there was nothing they could do about it.

It was after one o'clock in the morning. Dean and Serena were lying on her bed in the darkness. She was staring up at the ceiling, her eyes adjusted enough in the darkness to see the texture in the ceiling. Dean was worried about her; it had been a day and a half since Vince had sent her home and she hadn't said much since the conference call. She was enraged, he could see it in her eyes, but she was doing her damnedest not to take it out on the people around her.

"She's right, you know," Serena told him, her tone listless. "You should run while you still can."

"I'm not going anywhere," he chuckled. He was on his side, his head rested on his hand. His other hand was resting over her stomach, where her fingers were interlocked. "You know that."

"She's right. I'm a bad omen. I'm just bad luck to everyone around me."

"Get out of here; Alicia's opinion doesn't mean dick," he snorted.

"It obviously matters to the McMahons."

"Serena…"

"I'm sorry," she sighed. "I'm really sorry for everything lately. I know I've just been drowning in my little sea of self-pity. I'm just…I'm still struggling, you know? And then all this with Damien and Seth and now Alicia…I'm just… I'm having a hard time pulling myself out of it." She looked over at the nightstand on her side of the bed. In the dark, he could sense her face crinkling. "Why hasn't Cody texted yet?"

"Damien's probably not awake yet. You could be waiting until tomorrow afternoon," Dean told her. She exhaled. "Besides, even if he woke up, visiting hours are long over – you'd be waiting until morning anyway." He moved his hand from her stomach to her face, stroking her cheek. "Just try and relax. He's going to be fine."

"You're right," she admitted. "You're absolutely right."

"I know I am." She smiled. He pressed his lips against her forehead.

"We're going to have to warn everyone to be extra careful until the police figure out what's going on," Serena told him. "Between Seth and Damien, I don't think I could handle anything else happening."

"Roman, Dolph, AJ, Big E and I have had a talk about it, and we're warning everyone," Dean assured her. "You're going to need to talk to Wade, though. He's not going to hear a word I say to him."

"I can do that," she told him. "I'll talk to him this week."

"You know it means you have to be careful, too."

"I know. It feels like my entire life is spent being careful," she vented.

"Are you going to be okay?"

"I'll be fine," she assured him. "I'll have Seth and Damien to spend time with while you're on the road."

"I'm sure Seth will enjoy the company. Roman's sister is driving him crazy."

"Oh, he loves it," Serena laughed.

"Yeah, well I don't think Roman knows that, so Seth had better be careful," Dean laughed.

"You think so?"

"I don't think so, I know so," Dean laughed.

"Should we warn him?"

"What's the fun in that?"

"You're awful."

"Yeah, but you love it," he reminded her. He brought his lips down to hers, capturing them in a soft kiss. She brought a hand up to his face. He pulled back. "I love you. Please be careful."

She blinked. Dean wasn't the type to throw around the "L" word. The last time Serena recalled him saying it was when he was drunk at Disneyland. She ruffled her hand through his hair. Hearing him say it sober gave her a jolt. "I love you, too. You know that," she told him. "And you be careful. You've been through enough."

The phone buzzed on the nightstand. Serena rolled over and picked up the phone. It was Cody. "He's awake," Serena told Dean, texting a response to Cody. _How is he?_

_Loopy as hell, but he's all right, _the text read. _He doesn't remember much._

"Thank God," Serena exhaled.

"What?" he asked. "I can't see your phone, you know."

"He doesn't remember much of what happened," Serena told him. She wished she could forget the images. She knew Cody was traumatized, but he was holding himself together very well. _Damien asked if you're okay. _Serena smiled. She sent a quick text back to him. _I'm fine. I'm worried about him!_

Dean came up behind her and hugged her, looking down at the phone screen.

"I don't think I'm going to sleep tonight," Serena confessed. "I'm just so relieved."

"Well, I'm going to have to soon. Roman and I have a long drive ahead of us tomorrow," he told her.

"When are you thinking about leaving?"

"We'll probably leave at about six," Dean answered. "Since we have to be at the arena by noon."

"Okay."

"Are you going…"

"I'll be fine. I'll probably spend most of tomorrow at the hospital with Damien and Cody. If they release Damien, we'll probably go get him settled and I'll probably go see Seth. I can keep myself occupied till you get back on Wednesday." Serena was dreading the idea of texting Wade, but she knew it was something that needed to be done. She still cared about him. Serena didn't know what she would do if somebody else got hurt.


	36. Chapter 36

"Seriously, Cody – that nurse has been extremely unpleasant since the moment I woke up," Serena heard Damien complaining. She smiled to herself; down, but certainly not out. Serena could only imagine how crazy Damien had driven the nurses in the hours since he had been awake. She wondered how many of them could understand Damien's vocabulary, and she could imagine Cody sheepishly apologizing and trying to explain what he was getting at. He was undoubtedly sore, confused and angry about what happened. The guilt and sympathy Serena felt for him was beyond any words she could muster.

Serena approached the doorway, holding a flat of coffee and a giant bag from a nearby bakery. She leaned against the doorway, listening to their conversation politely and waiting for them to acknowledge her. Finally, Cody looked up and gave her a reassuring smile. Damien's head turned, his eyes lighting up as they rested on Serena.

"Good morning, Serena," he greeted with a smile spreading across his face. His voice was raspy. He still looked quite pale. "You are a sight for sore eyes!"

"You are too sweet, Damien," she said with a laugh, walking into the room. "I brought coffee and breakfast. I was pretty sure the two of you didn't want to touch the hospital food."

"Good timing. I was thinking about running out for something," Cody admitted.

"She knows me well," Damien told him. Serena put everything down on the little table. She handed Damien and Cody cups of coffee. "There's creamers and sugar in the bag. I don't know how you guys take your coffee."

"There _are _creamers and sugars in the bag," Damien corrected. Serena shot him a look.

"Back to normal, are we?"

"I take my coffee black, thank you," Damien informed her.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, pulling donuts, fritters and bagels out of the bag.

"I feel quite unpleasant," he told her. The IV in his arm was giving him a saline drip to keep him hydrated, along with other things Serena didn't know about. She felt so helpless seeing her friend in the state he was in. "The nurse told me they were forced to void my stomach of all its contents."

"I'm sorry, Damien." Serena had a million questions she wanted to ask, but she didn't want to bombard him. She handed Cody a blueberry fritter and a bagel. "There _are_ –" she shot a look at Damien, who nodded in approval, "cream cheese packets in the bag."

"Thanks, Serena."

"You look exhausted, Cody. How long has it been since you've slept?"

"I got about an hour or two," he confessed. "Sleeping in a chair isn't exactly comfortable."

"If you want to run home for a few hours and sleep and shower, I could stay with Damien," Serena offered.

"Could you? I don't want to leave the nurses to deal with him." Damien shot him a look. Serena nodded.

"That was uncalled for," Damien informed him.

"You've been testy from the moment you woke up," Cody informed him. He stood, chewing on his bagel. "Thanks for breakfast, Serena. The coffee should help me get home."

"I'll see you, Cody. Drive safe." With that, Cody gave her a quick hug and was gone. Serena sat down in the chair that Cody had been sitting in. "I'm so sorry about this, Damien."

"Why? It certainly is not your fault," Damien informed her, his tone matter-of-fact. "Serena, do you know what the worst part of this entire situation is? It is the fact that everyone is looking at me as if I were some sort of degenerate drug addict. Despite my claims to the contrary, nobody believes me!"

"I believe you," Serena assured him. "I know Cody, Dean, Roman, Seth, Wade…we know it."

"Everybody has been asking me where I got the drugs from. One nurse insinuated that it must have been a suicide attempt because I apparently ingested so much. This entire situation is pure madness."

"I know. Have the police talked to you?"

"Not yet. Has foul play been suspected?"

"I'm assuming so, if they ruled out food poisoning and suicide," Serena told him. She reached over and brushed a strand of hair from his face. His skin was cool and clammy. "Do they plan to release you soon?"

"If they refuse to, I intend to release myself," Damien informed her. Despite the pale complexion and the tired eyes, he was still full of the familiar fire and determination. "I have no desire to spend another hour in this cesspool."

"Do you need a ride home?"

"That would be lovely, Serena. You have always been so thoughtful." He motioned towards the half-eaten bagel and the coffee on his tray. "Cody is worried about me, you know."

"We've all been really worried about you," she told him. "Dean, Seth, Roman."

"Where are they?"

"They're on the road. I kind of got sent home…" She gave him a very thin outline of what happened with Alicia Fox. He wasn't happy to hear she wasn't sent home as well. He reached out and put a reassuring hand over his.

"How are things with Mr. Ambrose?" Damien inquired. She smiled.

"They're going all right. We're both really stressed out about what's been happening, first with Seth and now with you…" Damien smiled. She had to admit that he had a nice smile, even though he didn't do it very often. It wasn't that he was moody like Dean; it was just that he wasn't amused by much.

"You do not need to worry that pretty little mind of yours with my affairs," Damien assured her. "I am a big man, and I can certainly take care of myself." Serena shot him a look. "Well…life is not without its curveballs."

One of the nurses came back into the room, a stout redhead. "Hello, Mr. Sandow. We're ready to release you now. You got a ride home?"

"Yes, I have procured myself a ride," Damien told her, his tone indifferent. She shot a look at Serena, who shrugged. The nurse set about unhooking Damien's machines, removing the oxygen tube. Serena could tell the nurse couldn't be happier to cut Damien loose. She was probably even wondering how Damien maintained any friends with his condescending attitude. He rubbed his hand when the nurse pulled the IV out, releasing a cry of shock at the quick jolt of pain. "You know, if you were a good nurse, I would not have felt such a thing."

The nurse huffed and left. He looked at Serena, who had her head in her hands. She was struggling not to giggle. Sometimes he was too much. She sighed, straightening her face. "Damien, for a guy who preaches good etiquette, you sure aren't very nice sometimes."

"It hurt!" he insisted, his eyes widening. He motioned to his hand. It was bruised. Serena sucked in a breath. He had a point; a good nurse wouldn't have left so much damage. "Serena, would you be a dear and hand me my change of clothing?" She nodded, grabbing the black cloth bag and handing it to Damien. He got up, holding the back of his hospital gown closed. Serena graciously averted her eyes until she heard the bathroom door close. Her phone vibrated.

_How is he?_

It was Dean. She smiled. _He's been released. I sent Cody home to get some sleep. I'm going to take Damien home. How is life on the road_? She sent the reply, resting the phone on the table. Damien was taking forever; she was pretty sure he was taking a quick shower. She straightened up the area, throwing out the half-eaten food and the empty coffee cups. Her phone vibrated.

_It sucks without you and Seth. Roman's funny, but he's not Seth funny. _Serena bit back a giggle.

_I won't tell Roman you said that, _she replied. After another five minutes, Damien emerged. He still looked fairly pale, but more put-together than he had been when Serena arrived. "Dean sends his well wishes," Serena told him with a smile. Damien was dressed in a pair of slacks and one of his You're Welcome T-shirts. She thought he still looked like he was going to be sick. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, Serena, I am fine," he told her. "The doctor told me that it is just everything working its way out of my system." She picked up her purse and approached him. Together they walked out of the hospital. "Thank you for giving me a ride home," he offered.

"It's the least I can do." He stopped, grabbing her by the shoulders.

"This was not your fault," he told her. "I know you have been through some things, and I know you have been a little on edge about Seth. But this was not your fault. I know that. You saved my life. I do not want to hear one word placing blame on those pretty shoulders of yours. I won't stand for it." He let go of her and they continued walking to her car. "I cannot _wait _to sleep in my own bed." She unlocked the door with the click of a button and they both got in the car. Serena's phone went off again. It was Wade. _How is Sandow?_

_ Fine. Just driving him home. You and I need to talk_, Serena texted back. She looked up at him. "Wade Barrett. He wants to know how you're doing. You scared everyone to death."

"Dean still lets you speak with Wade Barrett, does he?" Damien inquired. She shot Damien a look.

"I'm a grown woman, Damien. Dean is not my father," Serena informed him. Her phone vibrated.

_We could meet for dinner tonight_. Serena blinked.

_I thought you were on the road. _She sent the text and started the car. "I know he is not your father, Serena. But we both know he does not like nor trust Wade Barrett." She looked at him.

"I almost liked you better when you were sedated," she told him. He laughed.

"You don't mean that."

"You're right. I didn't. I'm sorry."

"It's fine. I know you meant it in jest." Her phone went off again. "Are you going to answer that?"

"Not while I'm driving," she answered. There was a beat. "If you have to know, Dean wants me to talk to Wade. He would do it, but he knows Wade won't listen to anything he has to say."

"Your life sounds complicated."

"My life is what I make it," she told him. He smiled. "That sounded awfully wise, didn't it?"

"It did," Damien concurred. She turned onto his street.

"Did you want me to help you get settled?" Serena asked, pulling into his driveway. He shook his head.

"I plan on sleeping," he told her. "I will call you tonight."

"Thank you." She leaned over and hugged him. He got out of the car and she watched him until he was safe and sound inside the house. She pulled out her cell phone to see the text Wade had left.

_Yeah. I banged up my elbow pretty good. I'm spending my morning getting some tests run. _

_ I'm sorry to hear that_, she replied. After a couple moments, she got a reply.

_You should have seen Miz's face. _She bit back a laugh. Another text came through her phone. _Would dinner at seven be all right, love? _

_ It sounds fine, _she answered back. _I'll see you then. _

She dropped her phone in the passenger's seat and drove home, trying to ignore the queasy feeling of uneasiness that was setting up a home in the pit of her stomach.

.


	37. Chapter 37

_**A/N: Hello, everybody. I managed to get a new update done. I'm really, really sorry. The updates should get some regularity in two weeks or so. My cat nudged my computer off my coffee table and damaged it pretty bad last month. So bad, in fact, that I have to go get a new one. That's the reason why there have been no updates. Thanks to everybody for their patience, and I hope this can sate everybody until I can get the new computer.**_

* * *

At five minutes to seven, Serena walked into the practically empty restaurant. It was a brightly lit, well-windowed place with light wood tables and sky blue vinyl booths, located very close to the beach. She only had to scan her eyes across the restaurant for a second before she spotted Wade sitting at a back booth. He waved her over, a smile spreading across his face. She readjusted her purse over her shoulder and approached. He stood.

"Serena, you look lovely this evening, love!" he greeted, wrapping his arms around her.

"How's your elbow?" she asked.

"Just a bone chip," he confessed. "They're setting up a scope to get rid of it next week sometime. It's more inconvenient than anything." They slid into the booth as their waitress approached. She was a little spitfire of about twenty, her sandy blonde hair pulled back into a high ponytail. In her perfectly manicured hands, she held a notepad.

"Hi, guys, I'm Danielle," she introduced, her tone bubbly. "I'm going to be your waitress tonight. Can I start you guys off with a drink?"

"Sure. I'll go for an iced tea," Serena answered with a smile. Wade ordered a pitcher of beer. The waitress practically skipped back towards the kitchen area. Wade looked at Serena.

"Does Dean know you're here, love?"

"It was his idea," Serena told him, opening the menu in front of her. "He has this weird idea that you don't want to listen to anything he has to say."

Wade opted to ignore the statement rather than admit it was true. "How's Damien doing?"

"He's okay. I went and saw him at the hospital this morning. Poor Cody was just exhausted, so I sent him home and stayed with Damien. They released him today, so I took him home. He's really upset at the entire situation. We all know he's not a drug user, but the fact that he had an overdose has everyone looking at him like he's a liar."

"Any idea who could be behind this, love?"

"None," Serena confessed. The waitress Danielle returned with their drinks and they ordered their food. "I have this sinking feeling that what's happened to Seth and Damien are connected somehow, but I just can't prove it."

"What does Dean and the guys say about it?"

"I don't think they believe it, but they're humoring me, I'm sure. That's why I'm here, Wade. I don't know what's going on, but I want you to be careful."

"I'll be fine, Serena. You don't have to worry about me."

"I do. You're my friend. You've already been through enough. I don't want to see anybody get hurt anymore. Please, just promise me you'll be careful."

"I promise I'll be careful. Does that make you feel any better?" he asked. She nodded. "Good." There was an awkward beat between them. Serena turned her gaze out the window and watched a light grey Chevy Cavalier pull into the parking lot. "Your mother called me last night."

Her eyes snapped to Wade. She couldn't keep the surprise out of her voice or off her face. She hadn't heard from her mother in ages. "Oh?" she managed, sipping her iced tea. "Do you talk to my mother often?"

"About once a week," he confessed. "She really took a shine to me during her visit. She's such a lovely lady, Serena. I see where you get it." Serena made an involuntary sound that resembled a scoff, and went back to drinking her iced tea.

"So what's new with her?"

"She's filming an interview for Mr. Turner's documentary," Wade told her. "She's asked me to help him. She wants me to do an interview, to help promote it."

"What did you say to that?"

"I told her I would. I film my segment with him on Thursday." He was quiet for a moment as the waitress returned with their food. Serena found most of her appetite had dwindled. "Does that upset you, love?" he asked. Serena shook her head.

"No. You can do whatever you want. You're a grown man. It's a free country."

"Sabrina and Brad wish you'd reconsider, Serena. You could add so much to the project."

"No. And this is non-negotiable." The venom in her tone was unmistakeable. "I shouldn't have to explain that to you, Wade." She picked at her chicken Caesar salad. Serena hated to admit that she was a little stung that her mother had opted to be more of a parental figure to Wade than to her, Sabrina's own daughter, but she swallowed the bitter pill and decided she wasn't going to dwell on it. Sabrina's attention wasn't something Serena craved at this point in her life, anyway.

"I'm sorry, Serena. He's donating the money he makes off this to charity."

"That's very nice of him, but it's not going to sway my opinion."

"Could you talk to Seth and Roman at least? Brad's been trying to get in touch with them, but they're not returning his calls," Wade told her. Serena shrugged.

"What do you want me to do? If they don't want to be part of it, they don't want to be part of it. Nobody owes it to Mr. Turner to be in his documentary." Serena sighed; she was beginning to think meeting with Wade was a bad idea.

Wade knew better than to push the conversation. "Have you heard anything about coming back on the road?" Serena shook her head. She certainly didn't want to talk about the situation between herself and Alicia Fox with Wade, who seemed to run back and forth between the friend zone and the boyfriend zone. "I'm sure you'll hear something soon."

"I'm sure," Serena murmured. Wade seemed to have just as little of an appetite as Serena, as the two of them were just picking at things and moving them around the plate.

"Would you mind accompanying me to the interview?"

"I'm not doing that."

"Sabrina is going to be there."

"Ask her." Serena put down her fork. She'd only managed to take four or five bites of her food. Wade had eaten even less. Her cell phone vibrated. Serena fished through her purse for it, and grabbed it. It was a text message from Dean. _How is the meeting with Wade going? _

"Dean?"

"You know it is." Serena typed a quick response. _Not going too well; remember the filmmaker? Wade and Mother are doing it. He wants me to as well. _She put the phone down on the table.

"You should come with me to the airport. Your mother is arriving tomorrow."

Serena blinked. "That's news to me."

"You should call her more often, love."

"She should answer more often." She couldn't believe Wade had the audacity to lecture her about a relationship he really knew nothing about. The information he had came from the most unreliable of sources. "But I'm not going into this with you."

"Come with me to pick up your mother. I know she'd love to see you."

"I can't." Her phone vibrated. _Does that mean It's coming?_

_ Tomorrow morning. Wade wants me to go to the airport with him. _"Serena..."

"Wade, I have to take Seth to his doctor's appointment tomorrow morning. He has no one else to take him. I just can't." Wade sighed.

"She's your mother."

"She's never acted like it. Besides, Seth is my friend, and he has a broken leg and a broken arm. He can't exactly drive."

"I thought Roman's sister is watching him."

"She has to work tomorrow morning. I told her I would do it to make her life a little easier." Dean texted, her phone vibrating on the Formica tabletop. _Are you?_

_ Even if I wanted to, I'm taking Seth to his appointment tomorrow. _

"You need to re-evaluate your priorities."

"Yeah, I think I'm done here," Serena told him. She reached into her wallet and dropped money down on the table. Her head was beginning to hurt.

"Serena, don't be like this."

"I came to ask you to be careful, because you're my friend and I care. I didn't come to be guilt tripped about my mother and documentaries asking me to relive a chapter of my life that's better closed and forgotten about." She shook her head. "Seriously...how dare you?" Serena struggled to keep her tone hushed so she wouldn't make a scene.

"Pretending it never happened doesn't mean it didn't," Wade told her. She snorted.

"Just because you're seeing a shrink doesn't mean you know everything," she shot back at him. She looked up at the ceiling, smirking to herself at the thought of Wade being a marionette puppet, with her mother pulling the strings. "It's my right to say no to having my hardships exploited. It's not your right to make me feel bad about it." She turned on her heels and made her way towards the door.

"Serena..."

She didn't turn back. She was halfway to her car by the time Wade came barreling out the door of the restaurant. "Serena, love, stop! I'm sorry!"

She stopped. Her phone vibrated in her hands. She looked at the text. _I miss you_. Serena turned to Wade. "I'm sorry. I'm a real bastard. I'm sorry. I won't push the issue anymore, all right?" Serena exhaled, running her tongue along the inside of her cheek. "I'll swear on a stack of Bibles if it'll make you happy, love."

"Wade..." He reached out and took her free hand in his.

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine," she told him, taking her hand out of his. "But I'm going home."

"Serena..."

"Dean's coming back tomorrow, and we have plans. I still need to straighten up before bed." Wade scoffed. Serena's last nerve began to fray. "You know what, Wade? I'm so tired of all this."

"All of what?"

"All of..._this_. With us. I'm just done with it."

"You don't mean that."

"I don't know what I mean anymore. But I'm going to go." She sent a reply to Dean. _I miss you, too. This was such a bad idea, but I warned him. Can I call you later?_

Wade felt helpless. Their relationship had become a never-ending circle of animosity and frustration. He wasn't sure if there was anything that could save it. He knew Serena wasn't sure, either, but the constant head-butting they were doing seemed to be hurting her. "I promise you I'll be careful, all right? But you need to do the same for me."

"I'll be all right," she assured him. He approached her and hugged her tightly. "You don't have to worry about me. I can take care of myself."

"I know you can, love," he told her. He held onto her until Serena pushed her hands against his chest and broke their embrace. "It doesn't mean I don't worry."

Serena's phone vibrated again. _Of course. I'll talk to you later. _

"I appreciate that. But I'm going to go. I'll see you around." She got in her car. Wade's eyes watched her intently the entire time. She felt like she was under surveillance. She started the car and began the drive back to her home, fighting the urge to cry. Her mother was coming back to town. Wade was going to take part in the documentary. She was a little worried about what he had to say about the situation and what he had to say about her. Their relationship was nowhere near as good as it used to be.

She parked her car in the driveway and thought about the busy day she'd had, starting with the visit at the hospital with Damien. After driving him home, she'd gone grocery shopping and bought some snacks for Seth. She dropped them off and watched _The Avengers _with Seth. Then she went home and got ready to meet up with Wade. She stared at her phone, at Dean's last text message. She hated being stuck at home.

Serena sat in her driver's seat and stared at the last message. She was thinking about sending one last message before she called him later, after the show, but there was a feeling of discomfort in her veins. She put a hand to her forehead and sighed. She had hoped that the filmmaker's visit and her refusal was going to be the last she heard about it. Her mother and Wade were on board, and Serena was sure Vince would help promote it or produce it if Wade asked, in an effort to help support one of his top Superstars. She fought the urge to scream.

Wade's revelations about her mother had her wondering just what their relationship was. While Sabrina Lords refused to return Serena's phone calls, she was keeping up on Serena through Wade. The thought made her angry. She sucked in a breath and turned her attention back to her phone. _I really wish you were here right now. I miss you. I love you. _

She hit send.


	38. Chapter 38

_**Surprise, guys! **_

**_I managed to get another update done. This will probably be the last one until next Tuesday, but I hope this sates the appetite until then. Thank all of you for reading, reviewing and following this story. It really means a lot to me._**

* * *

"I can't believe he tried to pressure you into doing that documentary," Dean said with an aggravated growl in his voice. It was quarter after three in the morning, and he had finally managed to call Serena. It had been a long night, and the crowd that had assembled behind the arena and back at his hotel had been huge, even by WWE standards. Roman and Dean had been there for a while, taking pictures, signing autographs and answering questions. It threw his schedule off, but Dean had recovered. But he was definitely calling Serena later than he wanted. "Jesus, even worse - I can't believe that thing you call your mother is coming back."

"You and me both," Serena agreed with a deep, drawn-out sigh. "I haven't heard anything from her, so I'm assuming that she's going to be staying with Wade this time. That's probably for the best. She just about gave me a nervous breakdown last time she was here."

"With Barrett? What's going on between those two?"

"I don't know. I don't think I want to know, Dean."

"Yeah. I don't think I want to know, either," Dean agreed. "I assume she's doing the documentary?"

"You'd assume correctly."

"That's not a surprise," Dean snorted.

"He asked me to talk to Seth and Roman about it, but I told him no. He didn't even ask me to speak with you." Dean laughed, a raspy rumble that made Serena smile.

"Very smart," Dean snorted. "There's not enough money in the world you could pay me in the world to take part in that. I'm pretty sure Seth and Roman feel the same way. I know they feel the same way. They told me they're ignoring his calls. He's been very persistent."

"He's left me alone," Serena confessed. "Maybe he thought he could get you guys to talk me into it. I don't know. To be honest, I kind of forgot about him after he left here that one day." There was a beat. "Wade asked me to go with him to the interview, but I said no. I really don't want any part of it."

"I don't blame you. How's Damien?"

"He's all right. Resting comfortably at home. I'm sure the nurses at the hospital are breathing a sigh of relief. Poor Cody was so embarrassed."

"I would be, too. Damien doesn't seem to care who he offends."

"He's harmless."

"I heard something."

"What?"

"It sounds like Hunter wants to bring you back on the road." Serena sighed.

"Until the next Diva wants to blow up at me."

"I know. The whole situation is stupid. But Roman and I really miss having you and Seth around. AJ is going crazy without you. The Bella twins are driving her insane, especially since Nikki starting seeing John Cena." Serena made a sound, but Dean didn't push the issue. Nikki, Brie, Alicia and Rosa Mendes had issue with Serena since she arrived in WWE. Most of the locker room thought if Serena was sent home, that Alicia should have followed.

"He'll probably call tomorrow then. I'll talk to him about it then."

"Even if he doesn't want you back for a few weeks, you should just come out on the road. I miss you. I hate that you're out there by yourself."

"I'm not alone. There's Damien and Seth…"

"You know what I mean."

"I do." They were injured. He wanted to protect her, to make sure nothing happened to her, too. "You know what you should do?"

"What should I do?"

"You should go to your bedroom window."

"What?"

"Humor me, will you?" Serena stifled a yawn and got out of her bed, walking over to the window. Pulling two of the blinds apart with her fingertips, she peered down at the yellow taxi driving away. Her eyes rested on Dean, standing in front of her driveway with a duffel bag slung over his shoulder. He looked up at her bedroom window and flashed her a wave.

Serena hung up the phone and went down the stairs quick. She was pretty sure she missed a few steps on the way down, but she didn't trip. She pulled open the door and bolted out onto the front lawn, dressed in nothing but her pink plaid shorts, white tank top and bare feet. He dropped his duffel bag and opened his arms as she launched herself into him.

"You're so sneaky," she said with a laugh, wrapping her arms around his neck tightly. "I really can't believe you're here!"

"I missed you, and you seemed upset after the dinner with Wade, so I just decided to fly home tonight. I wasn't lying, though - all those fans at the end of the night almost made me miss my flight." He pulled back and kissed her. Serena ruffled her hands through his hair. He pulled back. "Think you can forgive me for calling so late?"

"I think I can," she teased. "I can't believe you're here!"

"You make it sound I was like in Japan or something," he laughed. He picked up his duffel bag and Serena led him into her house. "Have you been bored without me?"

"Oh, so very," Serena confessed. Dean dropped his bag in the foyer and followed her into the kitchen. "Did you want to come with me to Seth's appointment in the morning? I'm hoping everything is healing right and he can get that cast off in the next couple weeks."

"Yeah. Vince is getting pretty impatient. I can imagine how stir crazy Seth is getting." Dean went into the fridge and got himself a bottle of beer. Serena didn't drink beer often, she hated the taste, but with her group of friends, she always tried to keep some in the fridge. He went to the drawer and got a bottle opener. He moved about her house with such familiarity that it was no wonder he called her house his second home. She yawned.

"Do you know what Vince is going to do about Damien?"

"He's launched an investigation. Until Damien is cleared, he's on an indefinite hiatus," Dean confessed, sitting down at the island counter. Serena leaned against the countertop, her head rested on her hands. She exhaled.

"I don't know how they're going to prove that, but we both know Damien is not a drug user," Serena said with a shake of her head. "He doesn't deserve this."

"There's nothing we can do, though," Dean told her. "Not unless we can figure out what the hell is going on. Between Vince and the police, they should be able to come up with something." He reached out and touched her face. It was his turn to brush a stray strand of hair out of her face. "I know it's easier said than done, but try not to worry too much."

"I told Wade to be careful. I want you to be careful, too," she told him. He nodded.

"Of course. Roman and I can handle ourselves," he assured her.

"So could Seth and Damien." Dean sighed. She had a point.

"I'm the last person you need to worry about, Serena."

Dean finished his beer and put the empty bottle on the counter. He yawned and stretched. He approached her and hugged her. She ruffled her hands through his hair. "I miss having you on the road," he told her. "I'm sure Hunter's going to call in the next day or two, but if he doesn't, just come out with me."

"I guess I could do that," she said, pulling back. She stared at the stray strand of hair that always refused to fall into place. She placed a soft kiss on his lips. "I'm really glad you're here."

"Me, too," he said. "We probably need to get to bed, though. What time is Seth's appointment?"

"Quarter to ten."

"Yeah. It's after four."

"I'm not tired now. How am I supposed to sleep?"

"Who said anything about sleeping?" he teased, going in for a kiss that was more intense than Serena was used to. By the time he pulled away, she was gasping for breath. He put his hands on her waist and lifted her so she was sitting on the island counter. He kissed her again, groaning when he felt her hand caressing his face. He hadn't had time to shave the past couple of days, so a small amount of stubble had formed. He slid Serena closer to him, and she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist. He could feel her hands on his chest, her fingers tracing languid designs around his chest.

His lips traveled from hers, down her neck, to the juncture just above her collarbone. She sucked in a breath, a sound that made his every nerve stand on end. Her hands were at his waist, tugging at his Shield T-shirt, a shirt that Serena herself had at least a hundred pairs of. He pulled back and took off his shirt, dropping it on the kitchen floor without a care. His lips pressed against Serena's again. She pulled back.

"We really aren't going to do this on the kitchen counter are we?" she asked between ragged breaths. His hand was up the back of her shirt, his hand warm against her rapidly heating skin.

"Are we?"

"I am not having my first time with you on the kitchen counter," she said with a laugh.

"Okay…upstairs we go," he said with a laugh, sliding his hands underneath her to lift her. She kept her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. He turned to leave the kitchen, but caught his foot in the shirt he had dropped on the ground. He slid on the tile, moving one arm from Serena to grab the counter. He tried to kick the shirt off, but it was persistent. He banged his knee on a stool in the process. "Son of a…" Serena, in spite of the fact that they almost went down to the floor, started laughing, resting her head against the crook of his neck, her body shaking softly with laughter. "Glad to see my suffering amuses you," he murmured teasingly.

"I'm sorry. It's just…movies make it so glamorous," Serena giggled. Dean sighed, but his body began to tremble softly with laughter. After another few seconds, he managed to untangle the shirt from his foot, and he was taking her upstairs.


	39. Chapter 39

_**Author's Note: Sorry for the slow updates guys, but it looks like it's going to continue. My family has been coming up from the coast and work is nuts. On top of that, my cat got so sick last week, she almost died, so it's been very rough.**_

_**On a side note, here's another chapter. I know it doesn't seem like much, but I promise something is going to happen in the next chapter. **_

* * *

Serena opened her eyes. The clock told her it was just after four o'clock in the morning. She took a minute to adjust her eyes. The red light the clock cast slowly came into focus. Outside, the sky was just beginning to lighten, but the sunlight was still two hours away. She could see the cobalt fading through the slits in the blinds. She stretched, not surprised to find that every muscle in her body felt like it had run a marathon. She rolled over.

Beside her, Dean was fast asleep. His body rose and fell with each slow and even breath he took. His hair was tousled and in his face. The sheet was down around his waist, his arm draped over his stomach. Serena studied him. Sleep was the only time he looked at peace. When he was awake, his entire life seemed to be rushing and over-thinking. Serena reached out and brushed his hair out of his face.

It had been a slow, methodical night. Serena had never experienced anything like it. He wouldn't let her take the lead or control the speed. When it was over, Serena had fallen asleep almost right away. She was surprised at herself, but she supposed the past few weeks had been emotionally draining.

She thought about what happened with Seth. How he was close to the cast coming off, but the police were no closer to finding who ran him over. She thought about Damien, how people whispered that he was a drug addict. She wondered how they were ever going to prove that Damien didn't do it to himself. He took his career seriously. She knew he would never jeopardize it.

As she watched Dean sleep, she thought about the night she had spent in the woods. About the very real fear she felt when she saw him stabbed, when she thought he was dead. There was a nagging voice in the back of her head that said she was dangerous for him, that whatever was happening had something to do with the Staten Island Slasher. The idea of losing him caused her heart to skip beats, caused the tears to well up behind her eyes. He was tough; she knew he had to be because of the way he grew up, but tough only got somebody so far when they were caught in a situation with a weapon-wielding psychopath.

Serena got out of bed, reaching for her robe on the floor. Draping it around herself, she went downstairs for a glass of water, tying the sash into the bow as she moved softly down the steps. There was a chill in her bones, a chill that would always be there because of what she had lived through. On the kitchen counter, her phone sat charging. She went into the fridge and got herself a bottle of water.

The phone went off. Serena jumped, startled, her water bottle falling to the floor. Serena sighed, putting a hand on her chest, as if it could stop the pounding in her heart. With a deep breath, she picked up her water bottle and approached her phone. She put the water bottle down on the counter and picked up the phone. She flipped it open.

_Tick, tick, tick, tick._

Serena's eyes narrowed. She was confused. It was still early. _Who the hell is this? _Serena replied. She sent the text message, but it quickly came back as failed. She put a hand on the counter, running her tongue along the inside of her mouth. "What on Earth?" she murmured.

Her phone went off again. _Tick, tick, tick, tick._

Serena unplugged her phone from the charger and took off up the stairs, leaving her water bottle on the counter. "Dean!" she called out as she took the steps two at a time. "Dean!"

Dean groaned, rolling onto his back. His eyes opened with great effort. "Dean!"

"Serena?" He was suddenly alert, sitting upright in bed quickly. She sounded panicked. She came into the room. She looked pale, her hands were shaking. "Serena, what's wrong?"

She handed him the phone. A new message came through. "Tick, tick, tick, tick?" he read. "What the fuck is this?"

"I don't know, but we might need to get out of here. What if there's a bomb in here?"

"Who the hell knows where you live?"

"I don't know! Who the hell knows my number?" Serena cried. Dean put up a hand.

"Calm down. We'll call the police and the fire department and get them to take a look at this place." Dean reached for his clothing and quickly got dressed. She was already out the door, barrelling down the stairs, calling for him to follow. He dialled nine-one-one as he rushed after her, his shirt hanging over his arm. Serena was already outside, leaving the front door wide open. She crossed the street, pacing back and forth when she was on the sidewalk.

"Not again…" she murmured to herself. Dean could barely hear her as he gave all the information to the dispatch. He hung up and hugged her.

"It's going to be fine," he assured her, although he wasn't really sure. The phone went off again. _Tick, tick, tick, tick. _"Have you tried texting back?"

Serena nodded. "It always fails to deliver."

"It's a restricted number. Is that even possible? I didn't think you could do that," Dean mumbled. The phone went off again. _Tick, tick, tick, tick. _"This is just getting irritating," Dean informed her. Serena was looking for a place to hide. Dean knew she was expecting an explosion. He wasn't sure what he was expecting, but he had that familiar sinking feeling. He remembered the explosion at her cottage in Roselle Park. Dean didn't see the living room windows blow out or Serena knocked to the ground, but he had felt the shake in the ground it had created. It was like a sudden, short and violent earthquake.

The sirens were approaching in the distance. The phone went off again. _Tick, tick, tick, tick. _Serena had taken her place behind a tree, thoroughly prepared to see her new house go up in flames. He felt sorry for her. For a while it seemed like her life was going to get back to normal. He thought Serena moving to Florida would solve all their problems, but they only seemed to follow her.

He met the fire truck in front of her house. The driver got out, turning to Dean. "What's going on here?" he asked. He was a tall, salt and pepper haired man with a weathered face.

"This probably sounds a little insane, but I think there might be a bomb in the house."

"What?" The police pulled up behind them.

"My girlfriend - Serena Lords - she had her last place blown up by the Staten Island Slasher," Dean quickly explained. A flash of recognition crossed the firefighter's grey eyes. Dean held up Serena's phone. "She's been getting these text messages."

The firefighter's eyes scanned the screen. "Shit." He turned to the police. "We're going to need the bomb squad on this," he called out.

"What?" Dean recognized Detective Hoolihan and he felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. The firefighter excused himself, taking the cell phone with him. Dean couldn't hear the words they were saying; they spoke in hushed tones. He turned to Serena, who looked as though she were ready to cry.

Hoolihan went back to his car. The firefighter told everybody to stand down, in case the house exploded. Everyone was hoping the bomb squad would arrive fast enough to avoid it. Serena's neighbors were starting to exit their houses, wondering what was going on. Dean wondered if it was a good idea to leave, if he should take Serena back to his place.

Dean took his place beside Serena. "I don't know if I can handle any more bad stuff happening," she confessed. Dean put an arm around her and pulled her close. Hoolihan approached. He made a face at Serena's robe. She squeezed Dean's arm.

"We seem to run into each other a lot, Ms. Lords," Hoolihan greeted. Serena nodded.

"Trust me. If I had it my way, we wouldn't," Serena told him coldly. Dean knew she was still upset over the way he had treated her the last time they had met. Dean felt her shrinking beside him.

"Don't you worry, Ms. Lords, we will get this looked into," he assured her. She nodded. He disappeared to talk to the approaching bomb squad van.

Her phone went off again. She flipped it open.

_Boom. _


	40. Chapter 40

_**Bonus chapter!**_

_**I wanted to give you guys a little bit of levity. I hope you're all having a good night**_

* * *

Serena's hands were shaking as she fixed herself a cup of coffee. It was well after ten o'clock in the morning, and after finding nothing, the police, fire department and bomb squad left. Serena learned from Detective Hoolihan that the text message most likely came from a computer, from some website that allowed such a thing. It explained why she couldn't get a reply through.

She was embarrassed. Now that the "emergency" was over, Serena felt humiliated, like she had let some prankster get the better of her. Dean noticed she hadn't said much since they left. She sipped on her coffee, grimaced at the taste and dumped it down the sink. She was agitated. Dean didn't know what to say. He was drinking his coffee, trying to come up with a suspect. He was getting tired of the cloud of danger that seemed to hover over all of them all the time. Not that he'd say it to Serena; he didn't want her to feel any worse than she already did.

Serena's front door opened. It was Roman. Seth followed close behind, still on his crutches. His casts were supposed to come off in the next week or two. "I heard about all the ruckus this morning," Roman said, making a beeline for the coffee maker. "I saw it on the morning news." Serena groaned.

"Don't even worry about it, Serena. Somebody probably wanted to fuck with you," Seth assured her. "I mean, there was no bomb, right? It had to be somebody just playing a cruel trick."

"Well, the line of suspects starts to the right if that's true," Serena said dryly. Alicia Fox, Brie and Nikki Bella, Rosa Mendes…

"Do they have any idea who sent the texts?" Seth asked, propping his crutches up against the wall as he took a seat. Serena shook her head.

"Sent from a website. They're tracing the IP address, but who knows if they'll find it. My luck, it'll have come from a library or a Starbucks or something. Whoever is messing around with us is doing a hell of a job of keeping themselves covered." Roman snorted.

"Everyone slips up sometime. Whoever it is can't do this forever."

"I hope not. I don't know how much more of this we should have to take," Serena told them.

Serena's cell phone rang. She sighed. "I've never come to hate the sound of a ring-tone so much," she told them. Roman and Seth smiled as she answered. "Hello?"

"Oh my God, Serena! Did you hear? Did you hear?"

"Who the hell is this?"

"It's AJ! Duh! Did you hear about what happened this morning at WWE HQ?"

Serena's face darkened. "I didn't hear anything. What happened?"

"Somebody set one of the production trucks on fire."

"What?" Serena's eyes widened. Dean, Seth and Roman watched her intently as she drummed her fingers on the countertop. "Was anybody hurt?"

"No. They just burned up a truck. It was one of the production trucks. Vince is pissed; he lost a couple hundred thousand dollars worth of video production equipment, but we're all just thankful that nobody was hurt." Serena blinked. She wondered if that's what the _tick, tick, boom _texts were all about.

Another thought struck her. "Vince has surveillance cameras down there, doesn't he?"

"He's already handed them over to the police," AJ told her. "We're hoping they catch whoever is behind this. Do you think that whoever burned the truck is behind what happened to Damien and Seth?"

"I don't know. I guess a little," Serena confessed. "I don't know about Seth, but at least Damien. I mean it has to be somebody who works with us. How else would they get access to Damien's food and access to the trucks? Vince keeps that stuff locked up."

"It depends if the police find any signs of forcible entry," AJ told her.

"I need to go. I need to call Vince and the police."

"What? What did I miss?" Serena quickly filled AJ in on the text messages, and the events of the morning. AJ whistled low. "That does sound like it's a bit too much of a coincidence."

"I'll call you back later. Stay safe, okay? You, Dolph and Big E."

"Of course we will. You guys stay safe, too. You've survived too much."

Serena and AJ hung up with one another and she called Vince. "What's going on?" Dean asked. Serena was listening to the phone ring, drumming her fingertips on the surface impatiently.

"Somebody burned up one of the WWE trucks last night."

"Hello?"

"Hello, Vince? It's Serena."

"I'm a little busy right now, Serena."

"I know. I just heard what happened from AJ. Look, Vince, I got some text messages this morning, and I think it might have to do with what happened to your truck."

"What did these messages say?"

"_Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, boom_," Serena told him.

"Do they know who sent the messages? Did you text them back?"

"No. Wherever they texted from, I couldn't reply and the police couldn't get a number. I thought it meant somebody planted something in my house. How badly damaged is the truck?"

"It's gutted. Wade Barrett is going to be upset - the truck had his face on it."

Serena felt her blood chill, but she pushed it aside. "Have the police found anything on the surveillance tapes? Who all has the keys? Did they find forcible entry?"

"No forcible entry, Serena, so I think we have a snake in the grass. The police are going through the surveillance tapes now, but it could be hours before they find anything or even get back to me. I'll let them know about the text messages. Can I reach you at this number?"

"You might want to reach me on my cell. I'm going to go see Wade and make sure he's okay. I'm having a bad feeling about this, Vince."

"Well, if that's the case, call me and let me know he's all right."

"I will." They said their goodbyes and hung up with each other. She picked up her cell phone and sent a text to Wade. _Are you around? Please tell me you're around. _

"Have they got anything?" Seth asked. Serena shook her head.

"Not yet. No signs of forcible entry, though, so it means somebody has the keys."

"Hopefully we can get an end put to all this madness," Seth said. Everybody nodded in agreement.

"I kind of miss having a normal existence," Roman joked.

"I'm sorry, you guys," Serena told them genuinely. They shook their head.

"It's not your fault the world is a fucked up place," Seth told her. Serena picked up the phone again. _Wade, please get back to me as soon as you get this. It's really important. _Serena put the phone down. "What's happening with Wade?" Seth asked.

"I don't know," Serena confessed. "Vince said the only truck that burned was the one with Wade's face on it." Dean's lips pursed together and he looked away.

"You think it's a sign?" Roman asked. Serena nodded.

"Or at the very least an omen." She looked down at the phone. "Come on, Wade." She picked up the phone again and called. It went straight to his voicemail. "Wade, if you get this, please call me. I need to know you're okay." She hung up and sighed. "I'm going to go see him."

"We're coming with you," Dean said automatically. Roman and Seth nodded.

"Good, because I don't want to let you three out of my sight," Serena confessed. They had protected her so much, but she questioned how much she could keep them safe. She wondered if their association with her was going to forever challenge their lives.

Roman handed Seth his crutches. Seth and Roman left first. Dean grabbed Serena's arm gently. She turned to him. "Don't worry, okay? I'm sure he's all right."

"I hope so."

They drove in silence in Serena's car. Dean grimaced at the Britney Spears in her stereo system. He wasn't sure there was a song out there he hated more than _Womanizer. _He stared out the window, lost in his thoughts. Serena pulled into Wade's driveway. She was out of the car right away, running to the front door. She knocked. "Wade? Wade, open up!" she called out. When there was no answer, she reached down and checked the knob.

It was unlocked.

Her face darkened. Without waiting for Roman or Dean, she let herself inside. "Wade?" she called out. She checked the first floor, her movements slow and careful. Her every nerve felt heavy. She turned, spotting Seth, Dean and Roman. "You guys search down here. I'm heading upstairs." Dean opened his mouth, but Serena was already moving up the stairs slowly. He followed her. Their eyes were darting around everywhere.

"Wade?" she called out, moving towards the end of the hall, towards what she presumed was his bedroom. "God damn it, Wade, if you're all right, answer me…" she said to herself, agitated.

The door behind her opened. She jumped, shrieking. Wade jumped, startled. He wore nothing but a towel around his hips. His eyes were wide with shock. "Jesus Christ!" Serena breathed. "You scared me to death! Did you not get any of the messages I sent?"

"Sorry, love. I was in the shower. I have to meet Brad in a couple hours and I thought I'd get cleaned up," he told her. He looked at Dean and then turned to see Seth and Roman coming up the stairs. "Would somebody care to tell me just what in the hell is going on?"

"Somebody set the WWE truck with your face on it on fire this morning," Serena told him. Wade smirked. Dean looked at the photographs on the wall.

"And you thought it meant something happened to me," he finished. Serena didn't have to answer. "That's sweet, love. I would have answered your messages, but I left the phone in the living room." Serena rushed over to him and gave him a hug. "I didn't mean to scare you?"

"It's okay. I'm just glad you're okay," Serena told him. She pulled back quickly, realizing he was half-dressed. Wade crossed his arms over his chest.

"Do you guys think this is connected to what's been happening?"

"It could be," Dean conceded. "But there's surveillance cameras in that area, so if it is, we're hoping we'll know in a few hours."

Just then, the bedroom door opened. Their gazes swung to Sabrina, who stepped out in her robe. She jumped at the sight of the quartet in the hallway. Dean looked at the floor instantly, biting the inside of his cheek. Serena flushed a bright red. Seth and Roman looked at one another, the unmistakeable sound of stifled laughter escaping their lips.

"Just what is the meaning of all this noise?" Sabrina demanded.

"Mom?" Serena blinked. She was speechless. She looked at Wade, who looked at the wall and whistled low. Serena was fully aware that her jaw was agape, but she couldn't clamp it shut.

"I sleep with my earplugs in, but I could hear you shouting," Sabrina pointed out petulantly.

"What took you so long to come out?" Dean asked. Sabrina snorted.

"I had to put my face on," she told him matter-of-factly.

"I see you're okay. I'm going to go. I'll call you later," Serena told him. Without waiting for a reply, Serena moved down the hallway, towards the stairs.

"Serena, love, it's not what you think…"

"You couldn't possibly know what I'm thinking right now," Serena called back, disappearing down the steps. Seth and Roman followed her. Dean's expression was that of shock and amusement.

"Dean…"

"Oh, no. I'm not getting involved in this," he laughed. "Have fun at your interview, guys. Just be careful." With that, he followed the others down the stairs. Serena was practically catatonic in the driver's seat. Roman was loading Seth's crutches into the car. His body was shaking with stifled laughter. Dean had to turn away and let it out.


	41. Chapter 41

Vince and the Stamford Police got in touch with Serena at around four in the afternoon. The officers wanted to talk to Serena about the text messages she had received that morning. Even though she had very little information, Serena gave them everything she could think of. She asked about the video, but was told that the forensics team was looking at it. They told her real-life crime-solving was nothing like what's seen on TV. Serena was a little stung by the coldness in the officer's tone, but she was becoming used to it.

At five-thirty, Serena was sitting out on her front step with a glass of lemonade in hand when she spotted Wade's car driving towards her driveway. She made a sound of irritation, but she knew he was going to come over when the interview was over. After what happened at his home that morning, Serena knew he was going to want to explain himself. There was a small pang of hurt at the realization that her mother had come to town to see Wade. As much as she disliked her mother, there was always a part of Serena that hoped they would one day have a normal relationship. If they hadn't gone to Wade's house that morning, Serena realized that her mother would have come and gone without Serena ever knowing. The thought of that upset her.

Inside the house, Dean, Seth and Roman were making dinner. They wanted to cheer Serena up. Serena didn't know if they were capable of cooking. After taking her glass of lemonade and being exiled from the kitchen, Serena decided to enjoy the sunny day outside, every now and then shooting a glance into the house, silently praying that the guys wouldn't burn down her kitchen.

Wade stepped out of the car. Serena thought he looked really nice. He was dressed in black slacks, dress shoes and a soft violet button-down shirt with the first three buttons undone. His hair was slicked back and his beard was nicely trimmed. He closed the car door and made his way over to Serena. "Where are the boys, love?" he asked.

"In the house. They decided they're doing dinner tonight. I'm not supposed to go anywhere near the kitchen," she answered with a short laugh. "I've been sitting out here for twenty minutes waiting for the smoke alarm to go off." She took a sip of her lemonade, not surprised by the feeling of tightness in her throat and stomach. Wade sat down beside her, close enough that she could smell his cologne.

"Have you heard from Vince at all?"

"Not since this afternoon. Stamford police are looking through the surveillance equipment. So far, no real leads besides that tape." Serena shook her head. She wondered what it would take for her life to go back to normal.

"Serena, I think we..."

"How was the interview?" she asked.

"Good, good. Bradley is speaking with your mother right now, and then he's going to take her back to the airport." Serena sucked in a breath at the mention of her mother. There was another long, awkward pause between the two of them. She sipped her lemonade. "Serena, I think we need to talk about what you saw this morning," Wade said.

"Wade..."

"Serena, it's not what you think."

"Wade, it doesn't matter what I think. You and my mother are adults. What I think and feel about whatever I saw doesn't matter," she said to him. She really didn't want to talk about it, but her honest opinion was that Wade was too nice of a guy for a vapid, shallow creature like her mother. Wade scoffed.

"You're full of shit, love. And for the record, I'm not slipping it to your mother."

"Noted," Serena said, feeling a hot blush of embarrassment stain her face. He could deny it all he would like, but Serena didn't believe him. Her mother had come out of Wade's bedroom dressed in nothing but a robe. He could try and argue his innocence all he would like, but in Serena's mind she was absolutely sure something happened between the two of them. The fact that neither Wade nor Sabrina had brought up Sabrina's arrival, keeping it shrouded in secrecy, only convinced her more that she was right.

The front door opened. Dean stepped out. His eyes fell on Wade and they narrowed. Serena turned, her gaze going up to his face. Dean noticed that she seemed annoyed, and assumed it had to do with Wade's presence. He also noticed there was a lost look in her eyes. "Oh. Sorry. Am I interrupting something?" Dean asked. Serena shook her head.

"No. Wade was just on his way home from his interview and decided to stop by."

"How did that go?" Dean asked Wade dryly. Serena knew that Dean didn't care.

"Good." Serena was studying Wade. Dean knew that Wade still wanted to try and talk Serena into doing the documentary. She was the ultimate prize for the aspiring filmmaker that Dean considered to be a weasel. Serena was the sole survivor from the killings, and he knew her refusal to participate in the film was something that irritated everybody involved in the film, from Wade to her own mother. But Dean stood behind her decision. So did Seth and Roman. The four of them were more than happy to keep that part of the past locked up in the back of their memories. Serena didn't need to relive her time in the woods, or the death of her ex. Dean disliked Wade more than he thought possible because Wade didn't seem to understand why Serena wanted no part of the film. "Bradley Turner sends his regards."

"Oh, I'm sure he does," Dean said. "Feel free to tell him to stuff it. We still aren't doing the film." Serena bit back a smile. She stood, stepping onto the stoop to take her place beside Dean, who put an arm around her waist possessively. The strength of it took Serena by surprise.

"I'll be sure to pass the message along," Wade snorted. "He sends his regards to you as well, Serena. He wishes you would reconsider your stance."

"Well, on behalf of Serena, tell him to stick it," Dean retorted. Serena gave him a light swat. He stared down at her. She shot him a look back, wordlessly telling him to be more polite. Dean shook his head and turned his gaze back to Wade.

"Excuse me, mate, but I believe I was talking to Serena. This has nothing to do with you, so why don't you fuck off?" Wade practically growled. Serena's eyes widened.

"Why don't you make me?" Dean challenged. The situation was getting out of control, fast. Serena put her hands on Dean's chest to try and keep him calm, but Wade was already on the stoop. She found herself stuck between the two men who towered over her.

"Come on, guys, don't do this..." Serena pleaded, but her words fell on deaf ears.

"What the fuck is your problem, you miserable little tosser?" Wade demanded. A smug smirk spread across his face. "I know what it is. You're jealous."

"Oh yeah, that's exactly what it is," Dean replied sarcastically.

"You don't like that Serena and I are friends," Wade accused. Serena kept one hand on Dean's chest and put the other to her forehead. She could feel a tension headache coming on. It was supposed to be a nice night, but it was apparent that the tension that had been building between Wade and Dean was threatening to explode.

"Wade, please..." Serena pleaded softly.

"No. I just don't like how you and that fucking idiot you've been running around with are so adamant that Serena live in the past," Dean charged back. "I don't like how you refuse to respect her wishes, but you still run around acting like she's the best friend she never had!"

"Whose wishes are they really?" Wade snarled.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Dean demanded.

"You know exactly what I mean," Wade sneered. "Is it really Serena's decision?"

"Of course it is," Serena interjected. She was a little insulted that Wade thought Dean had total control over her.

"Serena, there's still time if you wanted to talk..."

"I don't, Wade. I thought I made this clear." Wade shook his head.

"Serena, we'll talk later. When _he's _not around."

"Wade, just do us all a favour get out of here," Dean said, his tone becoming increasingly more tired. "Go home to her mother."

"Serena..." Roman stepped over the threshold and onto the stoop. He sensed the tension, but shook it off. "Serena, where do I find your Mix-Master?"

Serena looked at Roman quizzically. "In the pantry," she answered. She opened her mouth to ask why he would need it, but he disappeared back into the house. Serena thought about following after him, but she was worried there was going to be bloodshed on her front lawn.

"You son of a bitch," Wade growled, taking a step. He turned to Serena. "Mark my words, Serena – he's no good for you. He's not good for anything!" he added, pointing. Dean slapped Wade's hand away, and that's when all hell broke loose. Wade charged. Dean shoved Wade back.

"Fuck you!" Dean shouted. "You don't know a damn thing about me!"

"Guys, please, stop!" Serena pleaded. Serena was having visions of the police coming to her home for the second time in the course of a day. There was no way she wanted that to happen. Serena knew she had to diffuse the situation before a neighbor opted to call the police. She pushed herself between them, but to her surprise, Wade shoved her. She stumbled, hitting the front door, but she managed to steady herself and stay standing. "Roman!"

"Serena!"

Roman was already outside and breaking up the fight. Wade had scratched Dean. Serena couldn't tell if Dean had marked up Wade. Dean shot her a look. Infuriated, Serena turned on her heels and went inside.

"Serena, what's going on...?" Seth asked, hobbling out of the kitchen on his crutches. Serena dismissed his question with a wave, taking the stairs two at a time. Seth watched the ruckus, confused, jumping when he heard the door slam above him.


End file.
